The Qiqiao Festival, celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, is often called the “Chinese Valentine’s Day.” But in ancient times, it was far more than a festival of love—it was a day deeply rooted in the symbolism of numbers, time, and cosmic order.
Why the Seventh Day of the Seventh Lunar Month?
1. The Connection Between “Seven” and Time
The Chinese word qi (七, seven) sounds like qi (期, phase or period). This homophony gave the number seven a strong association with cycles of time. Ancient people also grouped the sun, moon, and five visible planets into the “Seven Luminaries” (七曜), linking seven directly with celestial rhythm.
2. Seven as a Complete Cycle
The number seven often represented stages of life or natural cycles. For example, “seven sevens” (七七) was viewed as a full completion or endpoint. This sense of periodicity gave the festival a profound temporal significance.
3. Seven as an Auspicious Number
In folk culture, seven was considered lucky. It is homophonous with “ji” (吉, good fortune). Days such as the first of the first month, the third of the third, the fifth of the fifth, the seventh of the seventh, and the ninth of the ninth, together with the doubled dates of the second and sixth months, formed the “Seven Auspicious Days.”
4. Seven in Daily Life and Symbolism
The abacus—an emblem of precision and calculation—features seven beads in each column. This blend of order and mystery made the number seven both practical and symbolic, adding to the Qiqiao Festival’s aura of beauty and auspiciousness.
Traditional Activities of the Qiqiao Festival
1. Needlework and Skill-Testing (Chuan Zhen Qi Qiao)
Young women would thread colored strings through the eye of a needle—sometimes even through a seven-holed needle—competing to see who was the quickest and most skillful. Success was a sign of cleverness and dexterity, reflecting both artistry and inner wisdom.
2. Celebrating the Cow (He Niu Sheng Ji)
Children would pick wildflowers and place them on the horns of oxen, commemorating the sacrifice of the old cow who, in legend, helped the Cowherd and Weaver Girl reunite. It was both a gesture of gratitude and a ritual of remembrance.
3. Sun-Drying Clothes and Books (Shai Shu Shai Yi)
The seventh day of the seventh month was believed to be when “the heavenly gate opens and the sun shines strongest.” On this day, families would air out clothing and bedding to prevent insects, while scholars placed their books in the sunlight to preserve them and symbolically brighten their literary prospects.
4. Welcoming the Immortal (Ying Xian)
In Guangdong and surrounding regions, young women dressed in new clothes and jewelry, burned incense, and bowed toward the stars. From midnight until dawn, they offered prayers seven times, asking the heavens to bless them with beauty, fortune, or a good match.
5. Worshiping Kui Xing (Bai Kuixing)
Kui Xing, the deity believed to govern scholarly success, was said to have his birthday on this day. Aspiring scholars prayed to him, hoping for success in the imperial examinations and a bright official career.
6. Tying Red Strings (Jie Hong Tousheng)
Parents of frail or sickly children would tie a red string around their child’s neck, making seven knots. This was believed to ward off illness and evil, and to bless the child with health and longevity.
7. Worshiping Zhinu (Bai Zhinu)
After offering incense, women would gather around a table of peanuts, seeds, and fruits. Facing the star Vega, associated with the Weaver Girl, they whispered their wishes—whether for beauty, a good marriage, or happiness—and continued their gathering late into the night.
8. Incense Bridge Gathering (Xiang Qiao Hui)
Families constructed a bridge from incense sticks, decorated it with five-colored flowers, and set it up for worship. At night, they offered sacrifices to the Cowherd and Weaver Girl, and then burned the bridge, symbolizing the legendary magpies forming a bridge to reunite the two lovers across the Milky Way.
Conclusion
In ancient China, the Qiqiao Festival was not only a celebration of love but also a festival of time, numbers, and cosmic harmony. Its rituals reflected the hopes of women, children, and scholars alike—ranging from wishes for beauty and skill to prayers for health and academic success. By weaving together themes of romance, devotion, and human aspiration, the festival reveals how the ancient Chinese honored both the cycles of the universe and the longings of the human heart.