The Chinese Valentine's Day Is Almost Here

Keywords:

• 七夕/七夕节 qīxì/qīxì jié - Qixi / Qixi Festival

• 七夕快乐 qīxì kuàilè - Happy Qixi!

• 情人节 qíngrén jié - Valentine’s Day

• 织女 zhīnǚ - Zhinü / weaver girl

• 牛郎 niúláng - Niulang / cowherd

• 喜鹊 xǐquè - magpie

• 鹊桥 quèqiáo - magpie bridge

• 我爱你 wǒ ài nǐ - I love you

• 巧果 qiǎo guǒ - Qiaoguo (a kind of pastry)

• 心形 xīn xíng - heart-shaped

As the Chinese Valentine’s Day, Qixi, is almost here, I thought I would talk a little about the origins of this festival and how young Chinese celebrate it today.

七夕即将到来，今天我们聊一聊七夕节的由来以及中国年轻人是如何庆祝这个传统节日的。

If you live outside China, chances are you haven’t heard about this festival yet, but it is just as important for Chinese couples as Valentine’s Day is in the West. Many young Chinese celebrate both Valentine’s Day and Qixi.

如果你没在中国生活过的话，可能是第一次听说这个节日，不过对于中国情侣来说它和西方的情人节一样重要，很多年轻人既过情人节也过七夕。

Qixi, also known as the Double Seventh Festival, has its roots in Chinese folklore and celebrates the love story of the beautiful weaver girl, Zhinü, the youngest daughter of the Jade Emperor and the Heavenly Queen Mother, and Niulang, a kind-hearted cowherd. Their love was forbidden by Zhinü's mother, who separated them with a river, now known as the Milky Way. Every year, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, magpies form a bridge to reunite the couple, symbolizing enduring love and devotion. This day, celebrated as Qixi Festival, is a time when Chinese girls traditionally worship Zhinü, seeking wisdom and a good spouse.

七夕，英文名字也叫 Double Seventh Festival , 它的形成与民间流传的牛郎与织女的故事有关。织女是天上玉皇大帝和王母娘娘最小的女儿，牛郎是一个放牛的穷小伙子，他们在人间相爱了。可是王母娘娘不同意他们的婚事，亲自下凡将女儿带回天上 ，并用一道天河将两人隔开，牛郎和织女只能站在河两岸相望着哭泣。他们的爱情感动了喜鹊，千万只喜鹊飞来，搭成鹊桥，让牛郎和织女走上鹊桥相会。以后每年农历的七月初七就是牛郎织女在鹊桥相会的日子，这一天女孩们会来到花前月下，仰望星空，祈求自己能有一个美满婚姻，自此形成了七夕节。

According to the legend, if it rains on Qixi, it is believed that the couple (Zhinü an Niulang) is crying as they reunite on the magpie bridge. These raindrops represent the deep sorrow and longing they feel from being apart for most of the year, as well as their joy and emotion during their brief reunion.

传说七夕节这天下的雨是牛郎和织女在鹊桥相会时流下的眼泪，代表着长久分离的悲伤，也代表着短暂团聚时的喜悦和感动。

During Qixi, it was a popular tradition for women to show their skills by quickly threading a needle under the moonlight. They also worshiped the weaver girl, Zhinu, with a table of offerings that included tea, wine, fruits, and nuts. They displayed their needlework, prayed for a good husband and a happy life, and then played games or read poems until midnight. However, these traditions are not as widespread among young Chinese people today.

七夕节也有丰富的庆祝活动。女人们会在月光下穿针引线，展示自己精巧的手工，也会做游戏，甚至会读诗歌到深夜。少女少妇们也会在桌子上摆满茶，酒，水果和坚果来拜织女，祈求自己过上幸福美满的生活。不过现如今这些活动已经不再受年轻人的欢迎了。

This year, Qixi falls on August 10, so if you want to surprise your partner, you still have time. You might wonder what gift to give or how Qixi differs from Western Valentine’s Day. These days, the two holidays are quite similar, so a gift suitable for Valentine’s Day would work just as well for Qixi. Couples exchange gifts like flowers, chocolates, and jewelry, and go out on dates. Romantic dinners and movies are popular ways to celebrate, with special Qixi events and promotions at restaurants, cinemas, and shopping malls across China.

今年的七夕是8月10日，如果你想在这天给另一半惊喜的话，还来得及。你可能好奇七夕和西方的情人节有何不同。其实对于现在的年轻人来说，这两个节日差不多。鲜花，巧克力，首饰都是很受欢迎的七夕节礼物。或者人们会出去享受一顿浪漫的晚餐，看一场电影。各个商场，电影院，餐厅也会选择在七夕这天做营销活动。

One unique aspect of Qixi that differs from Western culture is that boyfriends often send money to their girlfriends via WeChat. Popular amounts include 52.0 or 520, as the numbers 520 (wǔ èr líng) sound similar to 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ), meaning "I love you." Couples also exchange the greeting 七夕快乐 (qīxī kuàilè), which means "Happy Qixi!"

和西方不同的是，中国人也会在七夕节给自己的女朋友发微信红包来表达爱意。因为数字520和我爱你发音相似，所以红包金额通常是52.0或者520。情侣们会在这一天互说，七夕快乐。

A popular dish to enjoy during this time is Qiaoguo, a fried, crispy pastry symbolizing skill and ingenuity, made with oil, flour, and sugar. Many bakeries also create heart-shaped pastries and cakes to mark the occasion.

七夕节也有吃巧果的习俗，巧果是一种油炸的点心，主要材料是食用油，面粉和糖。很多甜品店也会为了应景在七夕这天推出心形的点心。

Of course, not every couple in China celebrates Qixi, and like Valentine’s Day, it’s becoming increasingly commercialized. Some people believe it's more important to show affection every day rather than focusing on gift-giving for this one day. Whatever your view on the festival, I hope you’ve enjoyed learning a bit more about Chinese culture today.

当然在中国也并不是每一对情侣都会庆祝七夕，像情人节一样，七夕也慢慢变成了一种商家营销的噱头。比起节日这一天的仪式感，现在大家越来越重视每一天爱意的表达。无论你喜不喜欢过节，都希望今天的分享让你对中国文化有了更多了解。

Do you want more help with learning Chinese? Check out my private online classes:

💡thechinesespeaker.com