Facts

• Chinese Name: 七夕节 qī xī jié (Chinese Valentine's Day)
   

• Date: month 7 day 7 of the Chinese lunar calendar
  The date is based on the Chinese lunar calendar, so it's about 21 to 51 days after the Gregorian date , i.e. in the period July 28 to August 28.
  2019 - August 7
  2020 - August 25
  2021 - August 14
  2022 - August 4
   

• History: over 2,000 years
   

• Celebrations: giving gifts (flowers, chocolates, ties...)
  to romantic partners, romantic dates
  — dinners, movies, etc.

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​牛郎和织女的故事

The Legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Fairy

There once was a young, poor, but kind-hearted cowherd called Niulang, and an old ox. The ox actually was once the god of cattle, but was turned in to a common ox as he had violated the law of heaven. Niulang once saved the ox when it was sick. In order to show its gratitude, the old ox introduced Niulang牛郎 to Zhinü 织女(a fairy, the seventh daughter of a goddess and the Jade Emperor) when she escaped from her life in heaven to look for fun on earth. 

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织女soon fell in love with 牛郎 and they got married without the knowledge of the goddess. 牛郎 and 织女lived a happy life together; 牛郎 worked in the field while 织女 did weaving at home. After a few years passed, they had two children, one boy and one girl.

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However, the Goddess of Heaven (织女's mother) found out that 织女, a fairy girl, had married a mere mortal. The goddess was furious and sent celestial soldiers to bring 织女 back. 牛郎 was very upset when he found his wife was taken back to heaven. Then his ox asked him to kill it and put on its hide, so he would be able to fly up to heaven to find his wife. Crying bitterly, 牛郎 killed the ox, put on the skin, and carried his two beloved children off to heaven to find Zhinü.

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Just before he caught up with 织女, the goddess of heaven 王母娘娘 took out her hairpin and created a huge river between them, and they were separated forever by the river that later became known as the Milky Way.

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Heartbroken, he and his children could only weep bitterly. However, their love moved all the magpies. The magpies flew up into heaven to form a bridge over the river, so 牛郎 和 织女could meet on the magpie bridge. The goddess was also moved by their love, so she allowed them to meet on the magpie bridge on that day every year (the seventh day of the seventh lunar month七月七日).