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• Today some traditional customs are still observed in ruralareas of China, but have been weakened or diluted in urban cities. However, the legend of the Cowhand and Weaver Maidhas taken root in the hearts of the people.
by:zhangxiaodon g, quyang,guyongh
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The Origin of Chinese Valentines Day
• The Double Seventh Festival, on the 7th day of the 7th lunarmonth, is a traditional festival full of romance.
2019/11/3
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• At the time when he was about to catch up with his wife, the Queen Mother took off one of her gold hairpins and made a stroke. One river appeared in front of Niu Lang . Niu Lang and Zhi Nu were separated on the two banks forever.
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• One day, The magical cow kindly told him a way to find a beautiful and nice woman as his life companion. Under the direction of the cow, Niu Lang went to the riverside on an evening.This evening the seven fairies left heaven to bathe. He took one of the beautiful silk dresses the fairies had left on the bank.
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• Unlike Valentine's Day in Western countries there is not so much emphasis on giving chocolates, flowers and kisses. Instead, Chinese girls prepare fruits, melons and incense （熏香） as offerings to Zhi Nu, praying to find satisfactory husbands.
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• Their loyalty to love touched magpies, so thousands of magpies came to build a bridge for Niu Lang and Zhi Nu to meet each other. The Queen Mother was eventually moved and allowed them to meet each year on the 7th of the 7th lunar month. Hence their meeting date has been called "Qi Xi" (Double Seventh).
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• In the evening, people sit outdoors to observe the stars. Chinese grannies would say that, if you stand under a grape trellis, you can probably hear what Zhi Nu and Niu Lang are talking about.
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Do you know the beautiful love story passed down from generation to generation about the
Double Seventh Festival ?
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The Romantic sቤተ መጻሕፍቲ ባይዱory……
• Long long ago, there was an honest and kind-hearted fellow named Niu Lang .His parents died when he was a child. Later he was driven out of his home by his sister-in-law. So he lived by farming with an old cow.
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Unfortunately, the God of Heaven soon found out the fact and ordered the Queen Mother to bring
Zhi Nu back. With the help of magical cow ,
Niu Lang flew to heaven with his son and daughter.
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• When the fairies left the water, the youngest couldn't find her clothes and had to see her sisters fly back to heaven without her.
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• Then Niu Lang came out with the dress and asked the youngest fairy, Zhi Nu, to stay with him. Zhi Nu fell in love with him and came down secretly to earth and married him. So Niu Lang farmed in the field and the Zhi Nu wove at home. They lived a happy life and had a son and a daughter.