There is a story about the festival. It is one of the four folklore in China, as well as the earliest and the most popular among the four, which plays an important role in Chinese folkloric history.
Long long ago, there was a boy called Niulang, whose parents passed away when he was a little baby. He had a elder brother and a sister-in-law, who always abused Niulang. Niulang had nothing but an old ox. He took good care of the ox.
One day, the ox began to speak, which surprised the boy. The ox originally was a mythical animal from Heaven. The ox told Niulang that the boy's wife who was called Zhinu would come to the little village several days later. The ox taught him how to marry the girl. According to the ox's instructions, the boy fell in love with the girl and got married.
The couple led a happy life and had two cute kids. During this period, the old ox died. Before it was dead, the ox told Niulang to keep its skin after its death because it would help him someday. The couple were very sad about its death.
One day when Niulang went out for farming, something unfortunate happened. His wife, Zhinu, actually was the adored daughter of the Queen Mother in Heaven. The Queen Mother was super angry to find out that her youngest daughter had married a boy on the earth. Therefore, she came to their house and took Zhinu away by force.
When Niulang went back home, only finding the kids were crying in the house. After realizing what had happened from his kids, Niulang remembered the ox's skin. He found it out and put it on, he could fly at once. The Queen Mother found Niulang run after them, she took off her hair clasp and made a slash in the sky, the Milk Way appeared between them and Niulang, Niulang could not cross the Milk Way any more. He and Zhinu were separated.
After came back to Heaven, Zhinu could do nothing but teared everyday. Finding that Zhinu was heart-broken , the Emperor of Heaven and Queen Mother decided to let the couple cross the Milky Way to meet once a year, the day was just the seventh evening of the seventh month in Chinese lunar calendar.
On that day, all magpies, which are supposed to be the lucky birds in China, will fly to the Milk Way and build a bridge for the couple's meeting. It is said that, in the evening of Qixi Festival, people could hear the couple's honeyed words while standing under grape trellis.
Niulang, Zhinu, the Ox and Magpies
It is only a myth, however, each year on that day, especially in the past, girls prayed to Zhinu to have a happy marriage because a good marriage was so important for a girl who lived in old times in China. Today, since it has been the "Chinese Valentine's Day", it becomes a celebration for couples.
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