Qixi Festival, also known as Qiqiao Festival, falls on the seventh day of the seventh month on the lunar calendar, and for this year, that day falls on August 10. While the festival is now commonly celebrated as the Chinese Valentine's Day with gifts and flowers between lovers, Zhucun Village in Guangzhou has kept alive its original traditions.
This morning, the village held a Qiqiao ceremony, where girls prayed to Zhinv, a fairy in charge of weaving, for dexterity in needlework. The festival's name, Qiqiao, meaning "beseeching craftsmanship," originates from this tradition.
It is no wonder that the festival would be considered a synonym of love and romance as it is based on a legendary romantic folktale dating back 2,000 years ago. Niulang, the cowherd, and Zhinv, the weaver girl, fell in love and were separated by the Milky Way by the Heavenly Queen. Once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, magpies form a bridge to reunite the lovers.
A handicraft showing Niulang and Zhinv reunite on the Bridge of Magpie, Zhucun Village, Tianhe District, Guangzhou (Photo: Grace)
No doubt, love is always a worthy story to tell, yet the occupations of the two characters are also interesting as they offer insights into the ancient agrarian Chinese society. Niulang, the cowherd, symbolizes the male role in agricultural labor, while Zhinv, the weaver girl, represents the female responsibility for spinning and weaving—skills that were crucial for the family's well-being.
A woman working on a handicraft at the Pan Clan Ancestral Hall in Zhucun Village (Photo: Chen Siyuan)
Industrialization has gradually replaced the agricultural economy, but not people's appreciation of craftsmanship. Apart from Qiqiao, every year, the people of Zhucun Village also organize Baiqiao, which literally means showcasing craftsmanship. A large table is set up at the ancestral halls to display delicate handicrafts made by both men and women, demonstrating their talents for "qiao".
The table set up at the Pan Clan Ancestral Hall in Zhucun Village to display handicrafts (Photo: Grace)
A handicraft resembling the Gate to Zhucun Village at the Pan Clan Ancestral Hall in Zhucun Village (Photo: Grace)
Handicrafts featuring Cantonese opera at the Pan Clan Ancestral Hall in Zhucun Village (Photo: Grace)
Handicrafts featuring the Canton Tower at the Pan Clan Ancestral Hall in Zhucun Village (Photo: Grace)
Reporter | Chen Siyuan, Grace
Videographer | Chen Siyuan, Grace
Video Editing | Wiingheng
Editor | Nan, James
