Why is Qixi Festival also called the Qiqiao Festival? Should we worship the Seventh Sister on the Qixi Festival?
Qixi Festival is a traditional Chinese festival and it has many nicknames. So, let’s take a look at why Qixi Festival is also called the Qiqiao Festival? The seventh month of the lunar calendar is known as the Qiao Month, the Melon Month, the Orchid Autumn, the New Autumn, the First Autumn, the Xiang Month, the Meng Autumn and the Chu Autumn. Mr. Shui Mo’s website has compiled a special topic about the seventh month of the lunar calendar in 2021. You can click to view it.Why is Qixi Festival also called the Qiqiao Festival?The reason why the Qixi Festival is called the Qiqiao Festival is actually related to the "Seventh Sister's Birthday".Because one of the customs of the Seventh Sister’s Birthday is to beg for skills. The seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar every year is the Qixi Festival, which is the birthday of the Seventh Sister. However, "begging for cleverness" is one of the important customs of "Seventh Sister's Birthday", so it is also called "Begging for Cleverness Festival". There is also a folk legend that the Seventh Sister is an expert weaver from heaven. In the old days, beautiful girls would "beg for skill" from the Seventh Sister, begging her to teach them a skillful craft; in fact, the so-called "begging for skill" was nothing more than a "competition of skill". Therefore, the Qixi Festival is also called the Qiqiao Festival. Should we worship the Seventh Sister on the Qixi Festival?Yes, in many areas of our country, there is a custom of worshipping the Seven Sisters on the Qixi Festival.The Seven Niang Festival on July 7 is often called "Bai Qi Jie" in Guangdong, and "Bai Qi Niang Ma" in Fujian and Taiwan. Before the founding of New China, "Qixi Festival" was a grand festival for beautiful girls. In the old days, beautiful girls would "beg for skill" from the Seventh Sister, begging her to teach them a skill that was clever and dexterous. In fact, the so-called "begging for skill" was nothing more than a "competition of skill". In the old days, the Qiqiao Festival in Guangdong was very lively. Liu Kezhuang of the Song Dynasty once wrote a poem: "Kneeling and praying for melons and fruits, singing loudly. The Cantonese value ingenuity at night, and lights are lit until dawn." Before the festival comes, the girls prepare all kinds of ingenious toys in advance, using paper, colored paper, sesame seeds, rice grains, etc. to make various flowers, fruits, ladies, utensils, palace models and other objects. Put grain seeds and mung beans in a small box and soak them to make them germinate. When the sprouts grow to more than two inches long, they are used to worship gods. They are called "worshiping the immortals" and "worshiping the gods". Or they would organize everyone to gather at clan associations, set up various colorful incense tables, and offer remote sacrifices to the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. The "incense tables" would be filled with flowers, fruits, rouge, small paper flowered clothes, shoes, daily necessities, embroidery, etc. The "Seven Sisters Associations" in different regions would put a lot of effort into the incense tables, competing to see who made the most exquisite one. The traditional "Seventh Sister's Birthday" celebration begins on the evening of the sixth day of the seventh lunar month and lasts for one to two nights. In Guangzhou, girls from rich or poor families would dress up, light incense and candles, and "prepare all kinds of ingenious toys in advance, and use paper, colored paper, sesame seeds, rice grains, etc. to make all kinds of flowers, fruits, ladies' utensils, palaces, etc. (see "Guangzhou Sui Shi Ji"). Married women are generally not allowed to participate in the Qixi Festival in Guangzhou, but newlywed brides must hold a "farewell to the immortals" ceremony on their first Qixi Festival. |
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