China celebrates the Evening of Sevens, also known as Chinese Valentine’s Day. It signifies the lucky number seven.
The holiday falls on the seventh day on the seventh Chinese Lunar month of every year.
It celebrates a nearly 2,000-year-old fairy tale about two star-crossed lovers Zhi Nu (weaver girl) and Niu Lang (the cowherd).
Their love wasn’t allowed because Niu Lang was a mortal man and Zhi Nu was a goddess. They were banished from each other to opposite sides of the Silver River.
Once a year, on the seventh day on the seventh Chinese Lunar month, a flock magpies (Eurasian black/white birds) would create a bridge to reunite the lovers for a day.
Romantic, right?
The story’s been celebrated since the Han Dynasty (206 BCE) and there are many traditions in honor of Qixi.
In ancient times, the night of the festival, girls would offer fruits and food to Zhi Nu. They pray for skillful hands like Zhi Nu to weave with to find their ideal husbands. Girls take part in worshipping the celestials during rituals.
Traditionally, there were contests between girls attempting to be the best in threading needles under low-light conditions, like the glow of an ember or a half-moon. They make wishes for marrying someone who would be a good and loving husband.
It’s been said if it rains on the day, it was the river sweeping away the magpie bridge or the rain symbolizes the tears of the separated couple. There’s a legend that a flock of magpies symbolizes conjugal happiness and faithfulness.
The Chinese would gaze to the sky to look at the stars of Vega (Zhi Nu) and Altair (Niu Lang) shining in the Milky Way, while a third star forms a symbolic bridge between the two stars.
In China’s southeastern city Shaoxing, girls hide in pumpkin farms, believing those who can hear the whispers of Niu Lang and Zhi Nu would find love soon.
In Hunan province, women fetch water from the mountains. The water believed to be holy, so the women would wash their hair in it to be blessed by Zhi Nu.
If you’re a romantic like, maybe we should try our luck ordering the “Forbidden Rose Cocktail” at Mott 32. It’s made with fresh lemon juice, simply syrup, passion fruit puree, lychee puree, egg whites, vanilla-infused macchu pisco, and a small chili.
