Today is the seventh day of the seventh month in the Chinese lunar calendar—the Qixi Festival, a traditional Chinese folk festival also known as the Qiqiao Festival and the Daughter's Day. The 2025 Qixi Festival, August 29th, is the latest it has been celebrated in the 21st century. Qixi also has an impact on neighboring Asian countries, including Japan, Vietnam, and the Korean Peninsula.
The Qixi Festival offers a rich cultural legacy, encompassing values of love, labor, enterprising spirit, morality, and responsibility. It exemplifies the revitalization of Chinese festivals during globalization. On May 20, 2006, the Qixi Festival was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists.

The Historical Origins of Qixi Festival
The Qixi Festival originates from the myth of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. The legend recounts the poignant love story of the celestial fairy, the Weaver Girl, and the mortal cowherd, the Cowherd, who fell in love, married, were forced to separate, and could only meet once a year on Qixi Festival.
In primitive agricultural times, Qixi Festival actually originated from people's worship of natural celestial phenomena and time. Its origins are closely linked to astrology and phenology, with the changes in the constellations marking the transition between seasons and the timing of farming. Clearly, the names of the stars Altair and Vega derive from the practice of men tilling the fields and women weaving during the agricultural era.
                 
   The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl meet on the Magpie Bridge

Key customs of Qixi Festival
Women display fruits and melons, thread needles, and pray to the Weaver Girl for dexterity.
Stargazing and Wishing: At night, people gaze at the stars and pray for a happy marriage.
Giving Qiaoguo (a traditional snack made from oily flour and molasses) is a common gift.
Today, Qixi Festival is considered "Chinese Valentine's Day," with couples exchanging gifts and spending time together.
           
                          Drying books and clothes                               Worshiping the Weaver Girl, praying for wisdom and blessings
           
                    Happy Spider Should Be Clever                                                          Tanabata Food--QiaoGuo

Qixi Festival is not only a symbol of love but also embodies the ancient women's pursuit of skills and wisdom, reflecting the beautiful hope for nature and life in agricultural culture.
May you feel warmth and beauty on this day, whether you are with your loved one or not.