Thursday, August 23, 2012

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.


20 comments:

  1. 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.... <<<<<i love the word "haha" LOL ;P

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, didn't know today is 七夕情人节. ^^

    Thanks for sharing! =)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ken,
    Why don't love the whole story, just the word "haha"!? -_-"'

    ReplyDelete
  4. mydearbakes,
    七夕情人节快乐!
    Wishing you a Happy Chinese Valentine's Day! ♥♥♥

    ReplyDelete
  5. yea, I told this story to my students before..

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy Chinese Valentine's Day~

    Regards,
    http://www.lonelyreload.com (A Growing Teenager Diary) ..

    ReplyDelete
  7. Such a heartfelt story. Blessings, Catherine

    ReplyDelete
  8. wenn,
    Hope they remember this day and tell it to their kids and grandkids! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Mr Lonely,
    七夕情人节快乐! Hope you find your love soon.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a wonderful fairy tail (or maybe it is true) I just wanted to go to bed and now I have read such a lovely story just right for a nice sleep ! I have to copy this tale, it's so nice to tell to children. It's completely unknown here !

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for sharing such wonderful story! This is the first time I red the whole story. :D

    ReplyDelete
  12. Gattina,
    Glad you love it. This legend was told to us when we were very young. My Mom always remember this day. She's a romantic. hehe....

    I am keeping the tradition alive and celebrating it for my son and my future generations.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Tekkaus,
    Glad you enjoy it.

    You mean other times, you don't finish reading the story? :P

    ReplyDelete
  14. What an amazing heart shape in that radish. Do they cultivate them specially for valentines, I wonder.

    Your post made me realise that I don't think enough of the people who have to leave their loved ones behind in order to get work elsewhere. So many people have to.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow, what an interesting, yet heartbreaking story.

    ReplyDelete
  16. such a beautiful Valentine tale. i was not aware of this story until i read this post.

    ReplyDelete
  17. things have been really hectic at the moment. my house is currently under renovation and one thing for sure, our house is messy, not upside down yet, but definitely messy. I have used my time off from work over the past few weeks and my time is very limited. thanks a lot for your concern. hope everything will be settled before i travel in Oct/Nov.

    ReplyDelete