七夕節Origins and Stories

By: Amelia Gerolimatos, Josie Sun, Christopher Wong, Ian

Glish

Origins:

• 七夕 is the Valentine's Day in China.    - It is on the seventh day of the seventh month in

the lunar calender. This year it is 八月，二十六號．  • The story that 七夕 was originated in the  Han

Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD).•  • It became popular in the Tang (618-907 AD) and

Song (960-1279) dynasties. • This Festival is also known as:

o The Festival to Plead for Skills ( 乞巧節 ; qǐ qiǎo jié)o The Seventh Sister's Birthday ( 七姊誕 ; qī jiě dàn)o The Night of Skills ( 巧夕 ; qiǎo xī)

Origins Cont.:

• The festival is based off of a 2,500 year old legend about two lovers who are seperated. ( 牛郎和织女 )

• To the Chinese, 牛郎 is represented by Vega• 织女 is represented by Aquila.

Introduction to the Story:

o There is a story that discusses the origins of 七夕節 . 

o Most of the stories involve a cow herder, a fairy, and a basic person in power who is against the cow herder's and heavenly maiden's relationship.

o Most of the stories are generally the same, however there are some variations such as the person against the lovers relationship (a Goddess, the Jade emperor, etc...).

   

The Story:

One story tells of Niulang ( 牛郎 ) and Zhi Nu ( 织女 ). 牛郎 is a cow herder who happens to steal 織女 and her other six sisters clothing when they are bathing.

Being the youngest sister, 織女 is sent to retrieve the clothes. 織女 agrees to retrieve it, but 牛郎 sees her and they fall in love at first sight. He proposes and she accepts. Supposedly 牛郎 proves to be a good husband and 織女 a good wife. They live happily together with two children.

But the Godess of Heaven (Sometimes 織女 Mother) is upset by their union and splits them apart by taking 織女 back and making her loom clouds.

The Story Cont.:

牛郎 is upset that 織女 is taken away. Because of his grief, his ox begins to talk and tells him if he kills him (the ox) and wears the hide then he will be able to be with 織女 . 牛郎 kills the ox...and carries his children to heaven with him.

The Goddess of heaven discovers this and uses her hairpin to create a river in the sky to separate the lovers. So 牛郎 is forever on one side raising their children and 織女 is forever on one side looming clouds.

Birds (Magpies) take pity on the lovers and once a year form a bridge to let them be together.

Tears:

It is said on the 七月 , 七號 on the lunar calender that when it 下雨 it is the tears of the 情人因為 on the day it is 下雨 , the magpies will not form a bridge for the lovers.

Variations of the Story:

• In one version of the story, 牛郎 and 織女 were fairies in love, separated by the Milky Way. The Jade Emperor decides he will help unite the two lovers. However, his success has a consequence: the fairies 情人 neglect their work to be with each other. The Jade Emperor is peeved by this, and declares they can only be together on the 七號 of the 七月 of the lunar calendar.   

•  Niulang's 媽媽和爸爸是 the people who separate the 情人 ( 工 > 愛 ).

• 牛郎 goes to heaven and 織女 stays on earth (in Barry Hughart's version (Bridge of Birds) 

• The 情人 meet once a month.

Pictures!!!!! ( 照片 !!!! ）

Fun Facts:

• This is day is not only celebrated by lovers.• Single girls would conduct a ceremony to 織女 to

ask for wisdom.• In the Shadong Province, girls would offer fruit and

pastries to 織女 and if they saw a spider weaving on sacred objects they took it as positive feedback. 

• In other regions, close friends will get together and make dumplings. They put a needle, a copper coin and a red date. These represent o needlework skillso good fortune o an early marriage. 

Bibliography:

• http://english.cctv.com/20090827/100942.shtml\• http://www.chiff.com/home_life/holiday/chinese-valentines-

day.htm• http://www.flowersforums.com/chinese-valentine-day-1615

35.html 

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qixi• http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?

id=411872&type=National • http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/news_images/

253303e2f.jpg • http://www.answers.com/topic/qi-qiao-

jie#Variations_of_the_story • http://www.womenofchina.cn/focus/marriage_and_family/

7262.jsp•  http://www.china.org.cn/english/culture/137956.htm