Chinese Valentine’s Day

Chinese Valentine’s Day, also known as 七夕節 or 乞巧節, is a celebration of the story of 牛郎 and 织女, or the cowherd and weaver. The story starts out with the cowherd and the weaver’s romance. One day, the weaver girl goes to Earth for fun and falls in love with the cowherd. They live happily on Earth for some time until the weaver’s mother, Mother Nature finds out. She angrily creates a river that separates the cowherd and the weaver. Every year on the seventh day of the seventh month, magpies (type of birds) feel sorry for them and form a bridge that allows them to meet. 

Western Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14, while Chinese Valentine’s Day will be on August 28 this year. Some traditions include the typical exchange of gifts, flowers, cards and chocolates. Older single women might pray for luck in their love lives. The story of the cowherd and the weaver has been referenced in some famous movies, including “The Karate Kid.”