Chinese Valentine Day 2024: Qixi /Double Seventh Festival

Date of Qixi Festival in 2024

Qixi takes place on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. However, in the Gregorian calendar, its date is not fixed and needs to be determined based on the lunar calendar conversion. In 2024,the Chinese Valentine Day falls on 10 August, Sat.

• Solar Calendar: 10 August, 2024
• Lunar Calendar: 7th day of the 7th month

Origin of Qixi Festival

At the heart of the Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine’s Day, is a beautiful love story that has been told for generations. This festival is special because it celebrates the tale of Niu Lang and Zhi Nu, a story of love that comes alive every year during Qixi. Their story isn’t just an old legend; it’s the main reason why we celebrate this day. It reminds us why Qixi is so important and why it continues to be a day full of love and romance.

Myth: The Liu lang (Cowherd) and the Zhi nu (Weaver Girl)

The story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl originates from an ancient Chinese legend. It is a tragic love story, where it is said that the Weaver Girl was one of the seven fairies in heaven and she fell in love with the Cowherd on earth. However, their love was not allowed by the gods, they were forcibly separated and divided by the Milky Way. Nevertheless, their love touched magpies, and every year on July 7th, countless magpies gather on the Milky Way to build a bridge for them to meet. This is how Qixi Festival came about.

Qixi, also known as “Qi Qiao Festival”

Besides the legend of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl, Qixi is also known as the Qi Qiao Festival. In the past, women would pray to the Weaver Girl for skillful hands and intelligence on this day, practicing a ritual called “Qi qiao”. During the ritual, they would thread a seven-hole needle made of brass with five-coloured threads under moonlight. Once successful, it symbolises skillful hands and wisdom. Therefore, Qixi is also regarded as “Daughter’s Day”. However, with the changing times, Qixi has gradually transformed from a festival of seeking talent into a day of celebrating love and is hailed as China’s Valentine’s Day. On this day, couples celebrate their love through gift-giving, dating, and participating in various romantic activities.

Celebrating Qixi Festival

Tradition Customs

The traditional customs of the Qixi Festival mainly involve worshiping the Cowherd and Weaver Girl, praying for a happy love life and a harmonious family. Among them, the most well-known activity is “praying for skillfulness,” where young women pray to have exquisite craftsmanship and excellent sewing skills on this day. In addition, people also eat Qixi noodles, symbolizing longevity.

Modern Activities

With the development of society, the way to celebrate Chinese Valentine Day has also been constantly changing. Now, Qixi is more like a Valentine’s Day, where couples make plans to go out and enjoy romantic moments together on this day. Giving gifts, writing love letters, watching movies together or enjoying candlelight dinners are common ways of celebration. In addition, innovative activities such as simultaneously watching the Qixi constellation online are becoming increasingly popular among young people.