What, a chinese valentine's day in the middle of the chinese hungry ghost month? Are you asking this question? Well, yes, no errors, this valentine's day falls on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month
This day has other names such as 七夕节 Qixi Festival, 乞巧节qi qiao jie
Chinese Valentine's Day History 华人情人节历史
How this day comes about is as follows.
Once upon a time, there lives a young man Niu Lang 牛郎 who lives alone with a cow (Of course an ox. FYI 牛郎 in chinese translation is cow guy) because he was ill-treated by his brother and wife.
And surprised! It is a magical cow that can talk. Conversation as follows.
The cow : "If you wish to find a companion, i teach you a method to get a fairy as a wife."
Niu Lang : "How how?"
Cow : "A group of fairies will be bathing in a lake at xx hour and xx day. If you hide their clothes, they will not be able to return to heaven."
Niu Lang : "GREAT METHOD!"
On xx hour and xx day
7 fairies appear at the lake and start to disrobe to bath.
Niu Lang : "The cow is truly magical! The timing is so accurate."
Acting on the cow's advice, niu lang hides the robe of the fairy called ZhiNu 织女
After bathing
ZhiNu : "Who stole my clothes, did anyone see them?"
6 other fairies : "Nope. We need to go back first before Queen of Heaven discovered that we sneaked out. We try to cover for you. Faster find your clothings and come back."
ZhiNu "Okay"
After the fairies fly back
Niu Lang : "Look no further, your clothings is here. Will you marry me?"
Zhinu : "Okay, lets get married"
Somewhere after marriage and before a few years on earth
Cow : "I am old, i know i die soon. Keep my hide after i die. It is very useful in an emergency."
Zhinu & NiuLang : "Emergency? What Emergency? Dont worry You be fine."
Cow : ..........
Zhinu & NiuLang : "He's gone. Lets follow his instruction and keep his hide and bury him."
After a few years on Earth, which is a few days in "Heaven Days"
Zhinu gives birth to 2 healthy children. And the Queen of Heaven discovered that Zhinu is missing and has given birth to 2 children.
Queen of Heaven (QOH) : "HOW DARE SHE. Send the troops to capture her back from earth. NOW!!"
Troops : "Yes Madam! Troops, Storm the front. Go Go Go."
And Zhinu was swiftly and easily captured back to heaven.
NiuLang was not at home when Zhinu was brought back. Hence he got a big shock to discover Zhunu missing.
** Note, at this part, whether the children are still on earth or taken back to heaven is still a debate. As some part of history states that the children are left behind while some states that the children are taken back as well**
Niu Lang at this point of time, remember the cow's hide.
Niu Lang: "Now is this is definitely an emergency. Its time to bring out the cow hide!"
Niu Lang wears the cow hide and discovered that he is able to fly and follow the troops.
Sensing Niu Lang following them, Queen of Heaven became angry and summon a raging torrent between them. And the torrent is now know as the 银河 or Milky Way.
Being separate from each other's love, both weep sadly and they moved the Queen of Heaven. She allows them to meet once a year on the 7th day of the 7th month.
Which explains why this day is called the Chinese valentine's day
PS :
Narrations are created by the author himself, for the sake of lighthearted reading, and to allow readers to have an easier understanding of chinese history.
The storyline is generally the history of the story of Chinese valentine's day. Why generally? Because there are many variations in the chinese history about chinese valentine's day. But this is the version that i grew up with and most familiar with.
A post to meant be taken with humor and with no intent to offend the chinese myth.
Finally, hope you enjoy the history and learn about the history of Chinese Valentine's day 华人情人节的故事
image source: http://english.cri.cn/mmsource/images/2009/02/13/4583_vday090213cv2.jpg
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