Legends & Folklore: Lunar Valentine’s Day
LIVING Saturday, February 12th, 2011
by Angela Chen
Men have it a bit harder in China and Taiwan, my mother says, because not only do they celebrate the American Valentine’s Day on February 14th, they have to redo the romance all over come July 7th, the lunar Valentine’s Day.
The story behind lunar Valentine’s Day could make for a full opera – folklore says that the 7th daughter of a goddess came down to the human world to escape her boredom. She encountered a young cowherd and fell in love, as he did with her. The two got married and had two children. But when the goddess of heaven found out, she was furious and forced her daughter back to the heavens.
Upon finding out about his wife’s disappearance, the young cowherd wept bitterly, and as he did, his ox began to talk, telling the young cowherd that if he killed it and donned his hide, the cowherd would be able to go up to Heaven to find his wife.
The cowherd did as the ox told him and was able to carry his two children off to Heaven to find his wife. The goddess of heaven discovered him, and, in anger, the Goddess carved a wide river in the sky with her hairpin to separate the two lovers forever — which folklore explains is how the Milky Way came to be between Altair and Vega.
And so now, the princess sits forever on one side of the river, while the cowherd yearns for her from the other side, while caring for their two children. But once every year, all the magpies in the world fly up into heaven to form a bridge so the lovers can meet in the middle to be together for a single night.
That night? The seventh night of the seventh moon, or, July 7th. So ladies, if your night on the 14th isn’t all candlelit dinners and googly eyes, tell the man he’s still got another chance – and that five months is more than enough time to show that he’d fly up to the heavens for you.
Short URL: http://blogs.aaja.org/ourchinatown/?p=281
Posted by Cindy Tapan
on Feb 12 2011. Filed under LIVING.
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What a fascinating story. I had never heard it before. I’m sure my husband will be thrilled to learn about this new holiday to celebrate.:)
I’ve heard this story from my mother when I was young child. I recall my mother laying out some pretty clothes on a table by the window. When I asked her why she was doing so, she replied, “So that the 7th daughter (my mom said “sister”) would have some pretty clothes to try on if she chooses to before she returned to heaven”.
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