Year of China: Dragon Rising

Qixi Festival

• (Chinese: 七夕節; pinyin: qī xī jié; literally "The Night of Sevens")
  • It is also known as: Magpie Festival (Magpie is a symbol of happiness in Chinese culture. The singing of a magpie foretells happiness and good luck)
  • The Festival to Plead for Skills (乞巧節; qǐ qiǎo jié)
  • The Seventh Sister's Birthday (七姊誕; qī jiě dàn)
  • The Night of Skills (巧夕; qiǎo xī)
• Occurs on the Seventh Day of the Seventh Month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar.
• Often, unmarried and newly married women, would place a festoon in the yard and would pray and give offerings of fruit, tea, flowers and face powder to Shinu and Niulang.  Sometimes half the powder would be thrown on the roof of the house and the rest divided among the women so they could share the beauty of Shinu.
• In other places, women would show off their domestic skills such as melon carving and embroidery and would pray for a good husband.
• Many versions and variations of the story.
• Shinu (the weaver) was a fairy who wove colorful clouds in the sky.
• Niulang was a cowherd who had one very old Ox.
• Shinu is represented by Vega and Niulang by Altair.  Their children are the stars Beta and Gamma Aquilae.

For the presentation materials that were used at the event click here.

You can search online and find more information including videos on youtube.

For more information about the Year of China: Dragon Rising, please contact:

Dr. Donald Gregory
770-720-5978
DG2@reinhardt.edu

Reinhardt University's selection of specific countries within the Year of Country Study Program does not in anyway connote an endorsement of the laws and policies of the country under study.