|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Chinese Valentines Day Coloring Pages! Just
click on the small picture!
| Coloring
Page |
Description
of Custom |
 | Niu Lang (Cowherd) and Zhi Nu (Weaving Maid) are husband and wife allowed to unite only once a year.
|
|
Giving a valentine lotus
|
|
Valentine Boat Ride
|
|
Happy Chinese Valentines Day
|
|
A Valentine Kiss
|
|
Be my Valentine
|
 | Zhi Nu (or Weaving Maid)
|
Chinese Valentines Day
Chinese Valentines Day is an interesting
celebration of love. Like many Chinese special days, there are several
versions of legend that tell about the holiday.
One Chinese Valentine legend is about Niu
Lang (or Cowherd), a young man taking care of a magical Ox. This
magical ox is actually an immortal from heaven, living out a
punishment. One day, ox adviced his young master "You are a good
person. If you want to get married, go to the brook and your wish will
come true." So Cowherd went and couldn't believe his eyes! All 7
daughters of the Jade Emperor were there, taking baths. Cowherd took
the youngest daughter's clothes and ran off with it. After the 6
sisters finished with their bath and all returned to heaven, the 7th
daughter, Zhi Nu ( or Weaving Maid), still could not find her clothes
and was left behind. Cowherd appeared and said he will only return her
clothes if she agrees to marry him.
Weaving Maid agreed and
they had 2 children eventually.
Later on, ox was dying and again
adviced Cowherd to keep its hide after it dies.
Meanwhile, the
Jade Emperor was missing the 7th daughter. Weaving maid was the only
one who could weave such beautiful clouds and rainbows. He ordered the
Jade Empress to come down to Earth and get back Weaving Maid. The
Empress went to get Weaving Maid, but Cowherd couldn't bear to lose his
wife. He wore the magical cow hide and put their 2 children on baskets
and his wife's fairy clothes. The family then chased after Weaving Maid
across the sky.
To stop them from getting to Weaving Maid, Jade
Empress took her hair pin and cut across the sky. Now Cowherd cannot
get to his wife. Weaving Maid was taken to live in the Vega star, while
her family was stuck in the Altair star.
Later, the Jade
Empress took pity on her daughter, and allowed the couple to see each
other once every year, during the 7th night of the 7th. It is said that
during this night magpies join together to form a bridge that Weaving
Maid can cross to reunite with her husband.
Some customs done during
Chinese Valentines Day
- Couples can go to the temple of
the Matchmaker to pray for their partner. They can also pray to
eventually be married.
- Single people can also go to the temple and
pray for good luck in love.
- The Daughter's Festival. Long ago, girls
wanted to have excellent weaving skills. They pray to Weaving Maid to
make them more skillful in weaving. It is said that when the Vega star
is high up in the sky, young girls may do a test of putting a needle to
water. If the needle doesn't sink, then the girl is ready to go have a
husband.
- In some places, people decorate ox's horns with flowers
on Chinese Valentines Day to have safety and prevent disasters. On
valentines night, women wash their hair. Children wash their face the
next morning using water left outside through the valentine night. It
is believed that cleansing your face using this water will help a girl
have naturally beautiful look. Girls also throw 5-color ropes on the
roof for magpies, in the belief that the magpies will get the rope and
use these to help build the bridge that will reunite Cowherd and Weaving
Maiden.
Your purchase of our
Learning Chinese Children's Books, CDs, DVDs, and Software are appreciated!
All products
have a
money-back guarantee.
Free shipping for US orders over $25..
|
|
|
|
