August 7, 2008
Today, is the 7th day of the 7th month, in the Chinese Lunar Calenader. It is also known as the Chinese Valentine Day.
The origin has an interesting love story behind it.
Read further to know the love legend, and the celebrations on Chinese Valentines Day.
The love story of cowherd and weaver girl. Niulang, a poor orphaned cowherd, was gifted with an immortal ox from the heaven. One day Niulang happened to cross the nearby lake where the seven fairy sisters were bathing. The ox asked Niulang to hide their clothes to see the consequences. One of the fairies had to go to Niulang to retrieve their clothing and the youngest and most beautiful sister Zhinu (the weaver girl) went to get their clothing. Zhinu was the fairy who weaved beautiful clouds and rainbows in the sky. Since Niulang saw her naked, she agreed to his request for marriage.
The couple got married and had two children. However, the goddess of heaven got furious about her daughter's marriage with a mere mortal. She instructed Zhinu to come back. She made a wide river in the sky with the help of her hairpin to separate the lovers.
However she allowed the separated lovers to unite once in a year on seventh night of the seventh moon. This day is celebrated as Valentines Day in China.
Here are some of the unique and interesting traditional practices followed on Chinese Valentines Day.
*Hoping to find suitable husbands girls offer fruits and incense stick to Zhinu.
*In some Chinese provinces, people decorate flowers on ox's head to protect themselves from all disasters.
* Girls throw five colour ropes on the roof for magpies. They believe that magpie's will carry this rope to build a bridge for Zhinu and Niulang.
* To test their embroidery skills, unmarried girls throw a sewing needle into the bowl full of water in the previous night. If the needle doesn't sink but floats on top of the water, it is a pointer that the girl is a skilled embroiderer like Zhinu.
(this one definitely cannot apply in KL, sure all our daughters will fail terribly)
On the night of Chinese Valentine's Day, it will surely rain for the rain are the tears of the Weaving Maid and Cowherd.
Well, it looks like they are going to cry a lot today as the skies outside is getting dark ..so be prepared for a big downpour from heaven
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