The most common custom of Valentine's Day in China is all kinds of begging activities carried out by women on the evening of July 7th.
Most girls try their best to make small things and put some melons and fruits on them. Different regions have different ways to please others, and each has its own interests.
Begging activities in Jinan, Huimin, Gaoqing and other places in Shandong are very simple, just showing melons and fruits for begging. If there are cobwebs on melons and fruits, begging is very skillful. However, in Juancheng, Cao Xian, Pingyuan and other places, the custom of eating clever rice and begging for cleverness is very interesting: seven good girls collect food and vegetables, wrap jiaozi, and wrap a copper coin, a needle and a red date into three jiaozi respectively. After begging for wisdom, they got together to eat jiaozi. It is said that they were rich, good at sewing and got married early.
In some places, the Begging for Clevership Festival is of a competitive nature, similar to the ancient custom of fighting wisdom. Modern people are used to piercing needles, steaming and branding fruits skillfully, and some places also make clever bud soup. Generally, a handful of grains are soaked in water at the beginning of July, and the buds are cut to make soup on Tanabata. Children in this area pay special attention to eating smart buds, and decorations made of dough sculpture, paper-cutting and colored embroidery are the evolution of the custom of fighting smart buds. The shepherd boy will pick wild flowers and hang them on the horns on Tanabata, which is called "Happy Birthday to the Cow" (it is said that Tanabata is the birthday of the Cow).
Zhucheng, tengxian and Zouxian call the rain on Tanabata "acacia rain" or "acacia tears" because it is caused by the meeting of cowherd and weaver girl. Legend has it that there are very few magpies in Jiaodong and Southwest Shandong, and they have all gone to build a magpie bridge.
Today, there are still similar begging customs in various parts of Zhejiang. For example, in Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou and other places, on this day, all kinds of small objects are made of flour and fried in oil, which is called "Tuoguo". At night, Tuoguo, lotus, white lotus root and Hong Ling are displayed in the yard. The girl put a needle on the moon and begged the Weaver Girl to give her a clever skill, or caught a spider and put it in a box. If you open the box the next day, it's called cleverness.
In the countryside of Shaoxing, there will be many young girls hiding under the lush pumpkin shed that night. If you can hear the whispers when the cowherd and the weaver girl meet in the dead of night, the girl to be married will definitely get this eternal love in the future.
In order to express people's hope that the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl can live a happy family life every day, in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, every family will kill a chicken on July 7, which means that the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl will meet on this night, and if there is no rooster to announce the dawn, they will never part.
In the west of Guangxi, it is said that on the morning of July 7th, a fairy will come down to the earth to take a bath, and drinking its bath water can ward off evil spirits, cure diseases and prolong life. This kind of water is called "Double Seven Water". When chickens crow on this day, people scramble to get water from the river and then take it back and put it in a new urn for future use.
Guangzhou's begging festival is unique. Before the festival comes, the girls prepare colored paper, medulla tetrapanacis, string, etc. in advance and weave them into various fancy gadgets. They also put seeds and mung beans in a small box and soaked them in water to germinate them. Buds grow to more than two inches and are used to worship the gods, which are called "worshipping the immortals" and "worshipping the gods". From the sixth night to the seventh night, the girls put on new clothes and jewelry for two nights in a row. After all the arrangements are made, they burn incense and light candles and bow down to the stars, which is called "welcoming the immortals". From the third night to the fifth watch, they will worship seven times in a row.
After worshipping the immortals, the girls passed through the pinholes with colored threads in their hands. For example, those who can wear seven pinholes in one breath are called skillful hands, and those who can't wear seven pinholes are called skillful hands. After Tanabata, the girls exchanged small crafts and toys to show their friendship.
On Valentine's Day in Fujian and China, Weaver Girl should be allowed to enjoy and taste fruits and vegetables, so that she can wish a bumper harvest of fruits and vegetables in the coming year. The offerings include tea, wine, fresh fruit, five kinds of seeds (longan, red dates, hazelnuts, peanuts and melon seeds), flowers, pollen from female cosmetics and a censer. Generally, after fasting and bathing, everyone takes turns to burn incense and worship God and pray silently. Women not only seek wisdom, but also children, longevity, beauty and love. Then everyone eats fruit, drinks tea and chats, and plays clever games. There are two kinds of begging for wisdom: one is "divination", that is, asking yourself whether you are smart or stupid with divination tools; The other is clever match, that is, whoever wears the needle quickly is clever, and the slow one is called "losing cleverness". People who "lose their intelligence" should prepare some small gifts for smart people.
In some areas, "Seven Sisters Club" was organized, and "Seven Sisters Club" from all over the country gathered in Zongxiang Guild Hall, put on various incense tables, and offered sacrifices to Cowherd and Weaver Maid at a distance. All the "incense tables" are made of paper, and the tables are filled with flowers, fruits, rouge powder, paper floral dresses, shoes, daily necessities and embroidery, and so on. The "Seven Sisters Club" in different regions will work hard on the incense table to see who makes it exquisite. Nowadays, this activity has been forgotten, and only a few ancestral halls still set up incense tables on this festival to worship the cowherd and the weaver girl. Incense tables are usually prepared on the seventh day of July, and at night they begin to plead with the Weaver Girl.
Proper fruit is the most famous holiday food in Chinese Valentine's Day. Proper fruit, also called "Kiki Fruit", has many styles. The main materials are oil, flour, sugar and honey. "Dream of China in Tokyo" refers to it as "laughing boy" and "eating fruit patterns", and the patterns include holding incense and winning prizes. In the Song Dynasty, appropriate fruits were sold in the market. The method of proper fruit is: first, put sugar into a pot and melt it into syrup, then mix it with flour and sesame seeds, spread it on the table, let it cool, cut it into cubes with a knife, and finally fold it into spindle-shaped proper fruit embryo and fry it until golden. Handy women will also create various patterns related to the legend of Qixi.
In addition, there are many changes in the melons and fruits used in Qiqiao: either the melons and fruits are carved into exotic flowers and birds, or the surface of the melon skin is embossed; This kind of melon is called "flower melon".
To this day, Tanabata is still a romantic traditional festival. However, many customs have weakened or disappeared, and only the legend of Cowherd and Weaver Girl, which symbolizes loyal love, has been circulated among the people.
poetic sentiment
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Don-Ringer-Qiao Qi
Year: Tang Dynasty
Author: Lin Jie
Title: Begging for cleverness
Content: See Bixiao tonight on Tanabata, and let the Cowherd and Weaver Girl cross the river bridge.
Every family watches the autumn moon, and every family wears HongLing.
About the author: Lin Jie (831-847), a Fujian native, was a poet in the Tang Dynasty. When I was a child, I was very smart. You can write poetry at the age of six, and once you write it, it becomes a chapter. He is also good at calligraphy and chess. Death, only seventeen years old. There are two Poems of the Tang Dynasty.
Appreciation: On the evening of the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, it is commonly known as "Qixi", also known as "Daughter's Day" and "Daughter's Day". It is the legendary day when the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl meet on the bridge across the "Tianhe". In the past, the folk activities of Tanabata were mainly about seeking cleverness. The so-called begging for wisdom is asking the Weaver Girl for a pair of skillful hands. The most common way to beg for wisdom is to put a needle on the moon. If the line passes through a pinhole, it is called cleverness. This custom prevailed in the Tang and Song Dynasties.
"Today's Tanabata, I see the blue sky. I want to lead the cow and the weaver girl across the river bridge." "Blue sky" refers to the boundless blue sky. The first two sentences describe the folk stories of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. The annual Chinese Valentine's Day is coming again, and people in every household can't help looking up at the vast sky. This is because this beautiful legend has touched a kind and beautiful heart and aroused people's beautiful wishes and rich imagination. "Every family watches the autumn moon, and every family wears HongLing." The last two sentences explain the clever things clearly, concisely and vividly. Students can be guided to read the contents of the information kit after the text and feel the joy of people during the festival. The poet didn't specifically write out various wishes in his poems, but left room for imagination. He should combine his understanding of the whole poem to guide students to further understand the people's desire to pursue wisdom and happiness.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
(Tang) Quan Deyu
Today, it is clear that the clouds have crossed the magpie bridge, which should not be in the same strain, a distance.
My family likes to wear makeup mirrors and needles on the ninth night of the next month.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
(Tang) Xu Ning
Magpie Bridge is vast, and a thousand sounds of Yu Pei pass Lingling.
There are still people who have been away for many years. Instead of tinkering with rivers and lakes, it is better to look up at the stars.
Queqiaoxian
(Song) Qin Guan
Thin clouds are clever, flying stars spread grievances, and yinhan sneaked into Chen Cang.
On the seventh day of autumn dew and autumn, it is time to meet, mostly those who are together in the world, but the appearance of husband and wife.
Tender as water, like a dream, you can go home from the bridge!
If the relationship between two people is long-lasting, it is still a matter of time!
Qixi ci
(Tang)
In Chang 'an, the moon is like practicing, and every family holds a needle and thread this night.
Yu Pei knew it, but heaven and earth didn't meet.
Long letter deep cloudy night retreat, Yao Taiwan golden pavilion number fireflies.
Banky was preoccupied that night, and Hehan watched the bullfight in the middle of the night.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
(Tang) Bai Juyi
Clouds cover the fog, and the months are long and people are long.
The same is true in the Yin and Han Dynasties.
How much joy and hatred,
Year after year, on this night.
Chusek
(Tang) Du Mu
Red candle Qiu Guang cold painting screen,
A small fan flies to the firefly.
Day and night are as cool as water,
Sit and watch the morning glory and Vega.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
(Song) Yang Pu
If you don't care, you must ask the weaver girl to get the golden shuttle.
Begging for food every year is brilliant, but on the seventh day of July, in the Palace of Eternal Life, when no one whispers in the middle of the night, it is hard to say how many brilliant people are there.
In heaven, I wish I were a wing bird, growing together on the earth, two branches of a tree ... Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Tang Bai Juyi
Clouds and bright moons are in the sky, and silver, Han and autumn are the same.
How many joys and sorrows, year after year, on this night.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Don
Cows and girls meet magpies on Qixi Autumn.
Yunfei returns to the golden pheasant, and the bright moon hangs a jade hook.
Yan Yu added several times that she didn't hate it, but there was no more shyness on her face.
To make matters worse, when Xiao Jian shot Cui Lou from the east.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Don Cui Guo Fu
The satrap Huang Xianren has many feelings about Tanabata.
Fan wind makes jade leak, water writes the milky way.
Your book is old, but the front is exposed in your boudoir.
Emperor Yao Siwu, when did the bluebird spread?
Two Hanging Gardens of Qixi Banquet
Don Cui Hao
In Chang 'an, the moon is like practicing, and everyone is holding a needle and thread at this time.
Yu Pei knew it, but heaven and earth didn't meet.
Long letter deep cloudy night retreat, Yao Taiwan golden pavilion number fireflies.
Banky was preoccupied that night, and Hehan watched the bullfight in the middle of the night.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Tang cuitu
Every year on Tanabata, I pass Yaoxuan. Who knows that there are tears in autumn?
Since the world is one year old, why not just dusk in the sky?
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Tangdouchang
Look at those three stars, as if nothing is a spirit.
When there is no time, people can't sleep, and several cobwebs are in the wind.
Chu Sai heard that Yuchun was getting thinner and thinner, and tonight the broken ape was stained with clothes.
Clouds bury old trees in the mountains, like a thousand sounds of Ceng Fei.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Dondum
In the autumn night, candlelight reflected the screen, and Fan slapped the fireflies with his hand.
The night in Tianjie is as cool as water, lying watching morning glory and Vega.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Dondum
Don't hate until the end of the year.
I hate the car wash rain in the Ming Dynasty, and I don't teach my feet to cross the Tianhe River.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Tang Dushenyan
The white dew contains the bright moon and the blue sky breaks the crimson river. Turn at the seventh lane of Tianjie, and the pavilion passes Ershen.
I dressed myself in a suit, and I went to renew my frontier in a fragrant feast. Every year tonight, the loom is full of special feelings.
Qixi Fu was sung as an article.
Tanghe Zhong Xuan
I miss my temples every day, and I am lazy to adjust my shuttle.
Lingfeng treasure is lost in the distant moon, reflecting narcissus cars crossing the river.
It seems that there is a suspicion of dragging Pei, and the cloud clothes seem to be dragging Luo.
The night is long, the road is endless, and the fragrance disappears and the sorrow disappears.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Don
The Milky Way is at midnight.
The crow left to thread, and the firefly flew into the coat building.
Cattle and women are reunited, and couples all over the world see jade hooks.
Without Qiantang River, lonely and lonely autumn.
The banquet will be held in the hall of Feng and Qixi ceremonies.
Tangliqiao
On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, Lingpi Sanqiu Club. Check people to cross the sea, cross the bridge and fill the river.
The secret of the emperor's ascent to the Silver Pavilion is to play the jade shuttle. Who said seven poems and re-entered the banjo?
Fu tong shan ju tanabata
Tangliqiao
Autumn moon and green hills, high sky and white dew. The flower court is full of powder seats, and the clouds are full of needles.
Stone supports the shadow of the machine, and the pool is like a flood. First surprise the river magpie, and finally kill the savage gull.
Song Qixi
The history of Tanghe
The stars are few and the moon is thin, and the ceremony can be kind.
Yunxiang is thin, with new makeup and long color in Tianjin.
Jade Sapporo meets at night, and the demon is red and miserable.
Loneliness is low enough to enter the old machine, rest on the golden shuttle and think about dusk.
I don't know why I can't see you in this world, but I want this time.
The blue sky is exposed and the color board is wet, and the flowers beg for spider silk.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Don
The phoenix fan is tilted, and the star bridge flies back across the magpie.
Strive to bid farewell to this world forever in exchange for the arrival of every year.
Tanabata Lian topic
Don
Baowu shakes the pearl, and Chang 'e shines on the jade wheel. Get on the horse when the spirit returns to heaven, and leave people on earth skillfully.
Flowers and fruits are fragrant, and there are many families and neighbors. In the Ming Dynasty, Fang Xin was very poor.
Renshen Qixi
Don
I've driven seven cars, and I'm waiting for Xiao Xia. The wind is light and loud, and the day is thin and not spent.
Sweet and tender, fragrant and far away, high jade sends a shadow obliquely. Chengdu has passed Booth and Zeng Xianling tea.
Xin Wei qi Xi
Don
I'm afraid it's good to get along with the fairy family, so I'll teach it on my wedding day.
It comes from the blue sky and the milky way, but it is a golden breeze.
The other side of the Qinglou River gradually moved for a long time before Wei Yuncai put it away.
I don't want to reward the black magpie, but I want to ask the spider for tips.
Send Zhang brothers on Tanabata.
Don
It's a good season for Niunvhui in the new autumn, and a feast of red powder and jade.
Good to send flowers to Tan Lang, don't teach me to envy spider silk.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Tang Lizhong
In the new autumn of the Milky Way, countless bamboo columns are colorful.
Unfortunately, the needles are flourishing, and it is difficult to stay in the first month.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Tang Liuwei
The five bridges are connected to the upper bound, and the spirits of the Millennium will meet on this night.
Clouds and fog scattered the stars, and the fragrance gently blew the jade palace.
The green grass road is not suitable for green grass, and the golden lamp is waiting for the white elm wind.
The flower-picking pavilion is endless, only in a wisp of hairspring.
Two tanabata songs
Yuxi Liu Tang
The river drums and flags, and Chang 'e breaks the mirror. The awning is full, and Xu turns into a car.
If the machine stops, it won't hinder the bridge. Who knows that women who look at Tianjin are actually looking at the clouds in the evening.
Heaven opens a cloud account, and heaven controls the star bridge. When I first crossed the river, I was shocked and turned to fight.
In the afterglow, Zhang Jinxi, the lightning flashed red. If it weren't for human life, it would be far after the sadness.
Qixi poem
Tanglulun
The cool wind is blowing, and the river has a quiet period. The stars are still hidden, and so are the clouds.
Wake up early tomorrow night, and complain about late autumn in leap years. What happened to the golden boudoir? It spreads in the air.
Qixi poem
Tanglulun
If there is Ji Guang, my daughter will go upstairs at night. Under the moonlight, the river clouds don't flow.
Lead flowers dive into the morning, and looms unfold in autumn. Recalling the rest of the family, everyone is worried.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Tang luyin
When the Leng Yue River is cold, it is the period of morning glory and weaver girl. The artist came, but who missed this moment?
It's never too late to drive in autumn, but it's too late to beg at night. After ten years of tears, you will be separated.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Tangluoyin
In the winding corner of the Milky Way, it is a beautiful day, and the family is laughing and eating a red feast.
We should thank Nvzhu for writing Tan Lang's wonderful article.
Fragrant curtains are clustered in rows, and gold needles are put on to worship Chanjuan.
If you don't report the copper pot, you will know, and you will be sad for another year.
Chinese Valentine's Day; Qixi Festival
Tangqingjiang
Tanabata is so beautiful that it only takes one night to meet. The moon is a candle, and the cloud is a bridge across the river.
The golden crown reflects the water, and the wind shakes Yu Pei. Only sorrow is more melancholy, and parting is bright.