Double Seventh DayChinese Valentines DayLiJunCowhert StarWeaving Girl StarMilky WayOn the night of the 7th day of the 7th lunar month every year,they meet at the Magpie Bridge for a short time.Outlinen nIntroductionn nThe origin of the Double Seventh Dayn nLegend about the Double Seventh Dayn nFolk Customs on the Double Seventh Day Introductionn nA traditional festival full of romanceA traditional festival full of romancen nThe 7th day of the 7th lunar monthThe 7th day of the 7th lunar monthn nThe Weaving GirlThe Weaving Girl（织女）（织女） and the Cowherdand the Cowherd（牛郎）（牛郎） in heaven would meet at the Magpie Bridge in heaven would meet at the Magpie Bridge n nAlso called Begging-for-Dexterity FestivalAlso called Begging-for-Dexterity Festival（乞巧节）（乞巧节） （The Weaving Girl is a beautiful and smart fairy The Weaving Girl is a beautiful and smart fairy with deft hands and the women in the mortal world with deft hands and the women in the mortal world will beg for intelligence and deft needle work from will beg for intelligence and deft needle work from herher）The Origin of the Double Seventh Dayn noriginating from nature worship of the human racen nDouble-Seventh Day was also the product of time worship of the ancientsthe number 七 appears in both month and day giving a strong sense of time. The Origin of the Double Seventh Dayn nDouble Seventh Day is also a phenomenon of number worship七 bears the same pronunciation with 妻 (wife), thus the Double Seventh Day is to a great extent a festival related to women.Legend about the Double Seventh Day the Cowherd and the Weaving Girl n nThe fairy tale of the Cowherd and the Weaving Girl is one of the four most famous folktales of ancient China. n nIt is a classic love story between a fairy and a human being enjoying a widespread influence. Legend about the Double Seventh Day the Cowherd and the Weaving Girln nLong long ago, there was Long long ago, there was a very poor but clever, a very poor but clever, diligent and honest boy diligent and honest boy named Cowherd. named Cowherd. n nHis parents died when he His parents died when he was a child .was a child .n nLater he was driven out Later he was driven out of his home by his sister-of his home by his sister-in-law .in-law .n nBut his cattle is very But his cattle is very loyal to him .loyal to him .Legend about the Double Seventh Day the Cowherd and the Weaving Girln nThe Weaving Girl The Weaving Girl is a beautiful and is a beautiful and smart fairy with smart fairy with deft hands .deft hands .n nShe had grown She had grown tired of the life at tired of the life at the heavenly the heavenly palace, longed for palace, longed for a life among the a life among the common people .common people .Legend about the Double Seventh Day the Cowherd and the Weaving Girln nThe cattle gave the Cowherd a tip:take the fairys clothes when she is taking a bath,then she cant go back to the heavenly palace.Legend about the Double Seventh Day the Cowherd and the Weaving Girln n They fell in love with each other and lived a happy life.Legend about the Double Seventh Day the Cowherd and the Weaving Girln nUnfortunately, the fact Unfortunately, the fact that they have fell in that they have fell in love was found out love was found out soon soon n nThe Queen Mother of The Queen Mother of brought the Weaving brought the Weaving Girl back and drew a Girl back and drew a big river across the sky, big river across the sky, known to the Chinese known to the Chinese as the Silvery River as the Silvery River (the Milky Way in the (the Milky Way in the West), to drive a wedge West), to drive a wedge between them. between them. Legend about the Double Seventh Day the Cowherd and the Weaving Girln nHowever, all the However, all the magpies in the world, magpies in the world, deeply touched by the deeply touched by the story, came to their story, came to their rescue. rescue. n nEvery year on the Every year on the seventh day of the seventh day of the seventh month, they seventh month, they would flock together to would flock together to form a bridge so that form a bridge so that the Cowherd and the the Cowherd and the Weaving Girl could Weaving Girl could enjoy a brief reunion. enjoy a brief reunion. Legend about the Double Seventh Day the Cowherd and the Weaving Girln nThis story, to some extent, reflects Chinese peoples wishes to pursue the freedom of love and marriage. Legend about the Double Seventh Day the Cowherd and the Weaving Girln nThe fairy tale also The fairy tale also contains Chinese contains Chinese peoples understanding peoples understanding about star images. In the about star images. In the tale, the Weaving Girl tale, the Weaving Girl Star (the Vega) is the Star (the Vega) is the brightest star in the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, constellation Lyra, facing the Cowherd Star facing the Cowherd Star (the Altair), the brightest (the Altair), the brightest star in the constellation star in the constellation Aquila, across the Milky Aquila, across the Milky Way.Way.Legend about the Double Seventh Day the Cowherd and the Weaving Girln nOn the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar On the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar every year, Chinese women customarily calendar every year, Chinese women customarily look up into the night sky, searching for the Weaving look up into the night sky, searching for the Weaving Girl Star and the Cowherd Star on both sides of the Girl Star and the Cowherd Star on both sides of the Milky Way and hoping to see their annual gathering. Milky Way and hoping to see their annual gathering. n nMeanwhile, girls on the ground hope to have clever Meanwhile, girls on the ground hope to have clever hands and good sense, just like the Weaving Girl. hands and good sense, just like the Weaving Girl. They also pray for a happy marriage of their own. They also pray for a happy marriage of their own. Folk Customs on the Double Seventh Day -Ingenuity test by floating needleIngenuity test by floating needle（投针验巧）（投针验巧）（投针验巧）（投针验巧） n nIngenuity test by floating needle is one of the common customs on the festival. n nPut some water in a vessel and leave it in the open air until it is covered by a film of dust. n nThen cast a needle or thin straw on it to see the pattern of the shadow at the bottom, so as to test their ingenuity Folk Customs on the Double Seventh Day -Pleading for Skills by Threading a NeedlePleading for Skills by Threading a Needlen nIn order to plead for skills, threading a needle（穿针乞巧） is the most long-standing means. n nIt tests the speed of threading a needle under the moon. n nIt is said that the needles used in the contest are the seven-hole needle of the Han Dynasty or the nine-tail needle of the Yuan Dynasty. n nWith more holes than ordinary needles, they are rather hard to handle. Folk Customs on the Double Seventh Day -Cobweb as the DeterminantCobweb as the Determinant（喜蛛应巧）（喜蛛应巧）（喜蛛应巧）（喜蛛应巧）n nPleading for skills with cobweb is another common custom in the festival, in which everybody puts a spider into a locket and waits until the next morning to see if there is cobweb and if any, how it looks. n nThe one with a most round cobweb of the most mesh will be the winner. Folk Customs on the Double Seventh Day -Qiaoguo(Qiaoguo(巧果巧果巧果巧果) )n nQiaoguoQiaoguo（Fried Thin PastesFried Thin Pastes）is in is in different shapes with the materials different shapes with the materials mostly being oil, flour, sugar and mostly being oil, flour, sugar and honey. honey. n nThe deft hands will nip them into The deft hands will nip them into all shapes related to the legend of all shapes related to the legend of the Festival. the Festival. n nThe melons and fruits used on the The melons and fruits used on the day are usually carved into the day are usually carved into the shapes of flowers and birds, or shapes of flowers and birds, or carved with patterns in relief on the carved with patterns in relief on the melon peel, which are therefore melon peel, which are therefore called “carved melons” called “carved melons” THANK YOU!