Happy Chinese Valentine's Day! 七夕情人节快乐!

 七夕情人节 幸福,快乐!

Happy Chinese Valentine's Day! ♥♥♥

Today is our Chinese Valentine's Day which falls on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar. It is also celebrated as Tanabata (七夕) in Japan, Chilseok (칠석) in Korea, and Thất Tịch in Vietnam.

The beautiful story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Maid 牛郎织女的传说:

A young cowherd Niulang fell in love with a beautiful fairy Zhinü who had ran away from boring heaven to look for fun on earth. She was a skillful weaver who could weave clouds and rainbows to beautify the world.

They got married without the knowledge of the Emperor of Heaven. Zhinü was a good wife, and Niulang was a wonderful husband. They lived happily with their two young children.

When the Emperor found out that Zhinü had married a mortal, he was furious and had her brought back to Heaven. Niulang was devastated to find that his wife had disappeared.

Niulang had an old ox who was an immortal from the Heaven. It was punished as an ox on Earth because it made mistakes in Heaven. The dying ox told the cowherd to kill it and put on its hide so he would be able to go up to Heaven to find his wife.

Carrying his two beloved children in two bamboo baskets, he set off to look for Zhinü. The Empress was very angry that he had the audacity to come for his wife. Taking out her hairpin, she scratched a wide river in the sky to separate the two lovers forever, thus forming the Milky Way between Altair and Vega.

Forever Zhinü must stay on one side of the river, sadly weaving on her loom, while Niulang watches her from afar while taking care of their two children.

牛郎织女(鹊)桥相会

However, the Emperor allowed them to meet once a year, on the evening of the 7th day of the 7th lunar month.

Moved by their true love, magpies gathered and formed a bridge for the couple to meet on that night. My elders said that it is hard to find a magpie on Chinese Valentine's Day in China because they have flown to form the bridge for the Weaving Maid and Cowherd. They even went further to say that the feathers on the head of the magpies are much lesser after the Chinese Valentine's Day. haha....

If it rains on Chinese Valentine's night, that would be the tears of the Weaving Maid and Cowherd. awwww ...... we are having rainy days this week, it's going to pour tonight. :(

Count my blessings that I am one of the fortunate ones who do not have to see my spouse and son only once a year. My heart goes out to my friends who have to leave their families to work in another country.