The Chinese Valentine's Day

中国的情人节

The 7th day of the 7th lunar month is Chinese Valentine's Day (called 七夕 qīxī). According to a mysterious legend, a fairy (织女 Zhīnǚ, the weaver girl) fell in love with a farmer (牛郎 niúláng: cowherd). They got married and lived a happy life. But the woman's mother was completely against this marriage because of their different natures. She forced her daughter to return to heaven and created a wide river impossible to cross to separate them. This river is the Milky Way.

Since that day, the fairy and her husband could only see each other once a year. The magpies, deeply touched by this sincere love, formed a bridge across the Milky Way so that the two lovers could meet. It is the only day they see each other, but their love remains intact.

Thanks to this mysterious legend, the 7th day of the 7th lunar month became Chinese Valentine's Day. This festival is very commercial, especially in the city of Yinchuan. You can see dolls and toys in the likeness of the fairy and her husband in all the shops.

Changing Traditions

The love story between Niulang and Zhinu, as well as the Qixi Festival, have been passed down from generation to generation. However, these customs and traditions are beginning to fade.

Many young Chinese people today know more about the Western Valentine's Day on February 14th, with bouquets of roses, chocolates, and candlelit dinners, than about Chinese festivals.

Even qīxī 七夕 is called the "Chinese Valentine's Day."

Few young people, for sure, will look up at the sky, if they even know on which day the festival takes place. Many signs are there to remind them: "Chinese Valentine's Day Sales," in shops, hotels, and restaurants alike. Few young girls will celebrate this festival with their boyfriends, and even fewer will pray to become smarter. In today's society, young girls are no longer required to excel in weaving, so praying to be skillful has lost all its meaning.

This does not mean, however, that sewing is completely forgotten and abandoned. A new form is becoming popular: crocheting. Imported from Europe, this art is a popular form of embroidery. Crochet stitches are X-shaped and form patterns and designs. Recently, some young women have taken a growing interest in knitting wool scarves.

It's simple, and they are proud to wear what they have created with their own hands.

The Legend of Niulang and Zhinu

Niulang was a robust and hardworking boy. Orphaned, he lived poorly on the outskirts of the town. Besides, he disliked the town and preferred to live far from people, especially since he was not alone as his friend the buffalo shared his life and was boundlessly devoted to him.

So Niulang lived, cultivating his field with his buffalo, hunting, and fishing to secure his daily life. One day, he decided to go a little further, to a forest he did not know. Always accompanied by the faithful animal, he found the place charming and especially enjoyed listening to the birds. He strolled for a few hours, enjoying the calm of the forest. His steps then led him to a large lake lit by the sun.

But soon the sky clouded over, and, looking up, he suddenly saw a strange thing: nine young girls descending from the clouds. They seemed to float in the air! Arriving near the lake, the young girls began to undress. While playing, they all laughed wholeheartedly. Naked, they then dove into the lake and enjoyed the returning warmth of the sun.

Hidden behind a bush, Niulang followed the spectacle without missing a bit. Pinching himself to check he wasn't dreaming, he couldn't believe his eyes: so, immortals existed and sometimes came to earth... From his hiding place, he watched their games and quickly fell under their charm. Among these ravishing creatures, one of them, the youngest, particularly caught his attention. She was so beautiful that he immediately fell in love with her.

After a few hours of aquatic pleasures, the eldest called her friends and signaled to them: it was time to return. Saddened to see that the one his heart had chosen was about to vanish, he consulted his friend the buffalo to find a solution to keep the youngest, whose name was Zhinu.

"Hide her clothes!" he advised.

No sooner said than done. And while the other young girls were already returning to the clouds, Zhinu was still looking for her garment. As she began to lose patience, she noticed that someone was watching her. Frightened, she immediately took refuge in a bush to hide her nudity. Clumsily, Niulang approached her, holding something in his hand.

The young man introduced himself and returned her garment while declaring his love. Amused more than angry by the trick this earthling had played on her, Zhinu was immediately won over by this young man, so shy and terribly charming.

Thus, Zhinu decided to stay on earth and live there with her beloved and his friend the buffalo. Life flowed quietly and happily for the young couple. During these two years, a boy and a girl came to enlarge the family of Niulang and Zhinu, who lived an idyllic love and savored perfect happiness.

But for the other immortals of paradise, Zhinu had betrayed them. The laws of heaven indeed forbid an immortal from uniting with an earthling, even if he is the best of them. So, one day when Niulang had gone fishing with his children, the young woman's former companions came to fetch her to take her back with them. Faced with her refusal to follow them, they decided to use force and kidnapped Zhinu, without further negotiation. At the thought of not seeing her husband and children again, the young woman began to cry and called out to them with all her might.

From where he was fishing, Niulang heard the cries of his beloved. He then jumped onto his friend the buffalo and made him run as fast as possible. The animal put so much energy into it that he soon caught up with Zhinu, who was slowing down the flight of her former companions with all her might. But it was forgotten that the aggressors were immortals and that they had magical powers!

Seeing Niulang dangerously approaching, they then made a river appear between them and their unfortunate pursuers. Faced with this insurmountable obstacle, Niulang and his buffalo stopped abruptly. Desperate, he called Zhinu, whom the immortals had released. On the other bank, the young woman was devastated at the idea of being separated from those she loved.

Moved by the situation, the birds of the forest, who knew the young couple well, decided to act immediately. In a few seconds, the magpies gathered and formed a bridge over the river. Thus, the two lovers were able to meet again and fell, drunk with happiness, into each other's arms. After a while, Zhinu resolved to announce to Niulang the sad truth:

"I am forbidden to live with you any longer!" sobbed Zhinu.

"How so?" exclaimed her husband, no longer understanding anything.

"I am not of this world, and I must return to live where I came from. However, a grace is granted to us. Thus, I will come back to see you every year, on this date, in this place."

Hardly had Zhinu finished her sentence when she flew away, darting through the air towards the cloud from which she had descended...

And so it is that every year, on the anniversary of this day, which has been set on the 7th of July in the solar calendar (the 7th day of the 7th moon), lovers celebrate the reunion of Niulang and Zhinu.

Another Valentine's Day, in a way...

Now, when night falls, look up at the stars, and you will see that the story of Niulang and Zhinu may not be a legend. Indeed, the stars of the cowherd (Altair) and that of Zhinu (Vega) are always separated by the Milky Way...