NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Qi Xi

Qi Xi (Chinese: 七夕; Pinyin: qī xī; literally "The Night of Sevens"), sometimes called Chinese Valentine's Day or Magpie Festival, falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month on the Chinese calendar; thus its name. Young girls traditionally demonstrate their domestic arts, especially melon carving, on this day and make wishes for a good husband. It is also known by the following names: Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), commonly called Pinyin, is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Saint Valentines Day or Valentines Day is on February 14. ... The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, akin to the Hebrew calendar & Hindu Calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. ... Melon is a term used for various members of the Cucurbitaceae family with fleshy fruits, or may specify the typically sweet-fruiting members, muskmelon and watermelon. ...

In 2007, this festival falls on August 19. is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The story of Cowherd and Weaver Girl

In late summer, the stars Altair and Vega are high in the night sky, and the Chinese tell the following love story, of which there are many variations: Altair (Î± Aql / Î± Aquilae / Alpha Aquilae / Atair ) is the brightest star in the constellation Aquila and the twelfth brightest star in the nighttime sky, at visual magnitude 0. ... Vega (Î± Lyr / Î± Lyrae / Alpha Lyrae) is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, the fifth brightest star in the sky and the second brightest star in the Northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

A young cowherd named Niulang (Chinese: 牛郎; Pinyin: niú láng; literally "the cowherd", the star Altair) happens across seven fairy sisters bathing in a lake. Encouraged by his mischievous companion the ox, he steals their clothes and waits to see what will happen. The fairy sisters elect the youngest and most beautiful sister Zhinü (Simplified Chinese: 织女; Traditional Chinese: 織女; Pinyin: zhī nǚ; literally "the weaver girl", the star Vega) to retrieve their clothing. She does so, but since Niulang has seen her naked, she must agree to his request for marriage. She proves to be a wonderful wife, and Niulang a good husband, and they are very happy together. But the Goddess of Heaven (in some versions Zhinü's mother) finds out that a mere mortal has married one of the fairy girls and is furious. (In another version, the Goddess forced the weaver fairy back to her former duty of weaving colorful clouds in the sky because she could not do her job while married to the mortal.) Taking out her hairpin, the Goddess scratches a wide river in the sky to separate the two lovers forever (thus forming the Milky Way, which separates Altair and Vega). Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), commonly called Pinyin, is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Altair (Î± Aql / Î± Aquilae / Alpha Aquilae / Atair ) is the brightest star in the constellation Aquila and the twelfth brightest star in the nighttime sky, at visual magnitude 0. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), commonly called Pinyin, is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Vega (Î± Lyr / Î± Lyrae / Alpha Lyrae) is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, the fifth brightest star in the sky and the second brightest star in the Northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Milky Way as seen from Death Valley The Milky Way is the galaxy where the Solar System (and Earth) is located. ...

Zhinü must sit forever on one side of the river, sadly weaving on her loom, while Niulang watches her from afar and takes care of their two children (his flanking stars β and γ Aquilae). The star Alshain (Scientific Name Beta Aquilae) is located at right ascension 19h 55. ... TARAZED (Gamma Aquilae). ...

But once a year all the magpies in the world take pity on them and fly up into heaven to form a bridge (鵲橋, "the bridge of magpies", Que Qiao) over the star Deneb in the Cygnus constellation so the lovers may be together for a single night, the seventh night of the seventh moon. Genera Pica Urocissa Cissa Cyanopica The magpies are medium to large, often colorful and noisy passerine birds of the crow family, Corvidae. ... Deneb (Î± Cyg / Î± Cygni / Alpha Cygni) is the brightest star in the constellation Cygnus and one of the vertices of the Summer Triangle. ... Cygnus (Latin for swan) is a northern constellation. ...

See also: The Princess and the Cowherd The Jade Emperor (玉皇 Pinyin: Yù Huáng or 玉帝 Yù Dì), known informally by children and commoners as Grandpa Heaven (天公 Tiān Gōng) and known formally as the Pure August Jade Emperor or August Personage of Jade (玉皇上帝 Yu...

As an interesting note, Barry Hughart's fantasy tale "Bridge of Birds" is loosely (very loosely) based upon this celestial story, though the two figures are switched here. The girl is forced to remain on earth, and her male paramour in heaven. She is a peasant girl, and he shepherds the stars.

Variations of the story

The Jade Emperor (玉皇 Pinyin: Yù Huáng or 玉帝 Yù Dì), known informally by children and commoners as Grandpa Heaven (天公 Tiān Gōng) and known formally as the Pure August Jade Emperor or August Personage of Jade (玉皇上帝 Yu... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The MPAA film rating system is a system used in the United States and territories and instituted by the Motion Picture Association of America to rate a movie based on its content. ...

Traditions

On Qi Xi, a festoon is placed in the yard and the single or newly married women in the household make an offering to Niulang and Zhinü consisting of fruit, flowers, tea, and facial powder (makeup). After finishing the offering, half of the facial powder is thrown on the roof and the other half divided among the young women. It is believed by doing this the women are bound in beauty with Zhinü. Festoon (by Carlo Crivelli). ...

Another tradition is for young girls to throw a sewing needle into a bowl full of water on the night of Qi Xi as a test of embroidery skills. If the needle floats on top of the water instead of sinking, it is believed to be an indication of the girl's being a skilled embroideress.

Schedule

The seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar in coming ten years.

Chinese_culture" id="Other_romantic_days_in_Chinese_culture"> Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 238th day of the year (239th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2010 (MMX) will be a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2011 (MMXI) will be a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 218th day of the year (219th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2012 (MMXII) will be a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 235th day of the year (236th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2014 (MMXIV) will be a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2015 (MMXV) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2016 (MMXVI) will be a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Other romantic days in Chinese culture

Two other days have, or had, romantic associations in China: Valentine's Day on February 14th, borrowed from the West, and Lantern Festival Day, on which an ummarried girl was traditionally permitted to appear in public unescorted and thus be seen by eligible bachelors. The latter no longer has such implications nowadays, however. Saint Valentines Day or Valentines Day is on February 14. ... Year 2007 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Chiayi, Taiwan The Lantern Festival (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) or (Yuanxiao Festival), also known as the Shang Yuan Festival (ä¸Šå…ƒèŠ‚), is a Chinese festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar year in the Chinese calendar. ...

In other cultures

The Japanese festival of Seventh Night (七夕 tanabata^?), on July 7, celebrates the meeting of the weaving princess (Orihime, Vega) and the cow herder (Hikoboshi, Altair). Some cities celebrate Tanabata on August 7, and others on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month on the Japanese lunisolar calendar. is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Vega (Î± Lyr / Î± Lyrae / Alpha Lyrae) is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, the fifth brightest star in the sky and the second brightest star in the Northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus. ... Altair (Î± Aql / Î± Aquilae / Alpha Aquilae / Atair ) is the brightest star in the constellation Aquila and the twelfth brightest star in the nighttime sky, at visual magnitude 0. ... People dressed in yukata at Tanabata Tanabata ), meaning Seven Evenings) is a Japanese star festival, derived from Obon traditions and the Chinese star festival, Qi Xi. ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A lunisolar calendar is a calendar whose date indicates both the moon phase and the time of the solar year. ...

Other East Asian cultures celebrate on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the Chinese calendar.

Contents

The story of Cowherd and Weaver Girl GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");