Various folk activities were held across China on Saturday to celebrate the Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine's Day, with the hope of bringing new vitality to traditional culture.
The festival, which originates from a 2,000-year-old legend of two lovers, falls on the seventh day of the seventh month in the Chinese lunar calendar and celebrates the legendary annual union between the mythological figures. The two lovers, Niulang and Zhinyu -- one a cowherd and the other a weaver fairy, the youngest of the seven daughters of the Queen of Heaven -- were separated by the Silver River (the Milky Way) because their love was forbidden by the gods. They could reunite only once a year when a flock of magpies formed a bridge across the river.
The Qixi Festival was listed as a state-level intangible cultural heritage in 2006.
In Xuanen Township of Enshi City, located in central China's Hubei Province, a water-splashing event provided both locals and tourists with relief from the summer heat. As night fell, a parade featuring seven fairies was staged.
"My husband and I came to Xuanen to celebrate the Qixi Festival. There are many performances rich in ethnic characteristics. I like the hand-waving dance here; it has a lot of local character. This small town is very romantic. I like it very much," said Cai Yao, a tourist.
At a historical and cultural district in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, performers dressed in traditional costumes staged a wedding procession, offering tourists a rare chance to relish the boisterous atmosphere.
"We have organized these Qixi folk activities for three consecutive years. We hope more young people can respect and inherit traditions through such immersive experiences and bring new vitality to our traditional culture," said Xia Lei, office director of the Renfengli historical and cultural district.
Folk activities celebrate Chinese Valentine's Day
