China'sValentine'sDayTheseventhdayoftheseventhlunarmonthTheseventhdayoftheseventhlunarmonthistheSeventhEveningFestival,alsoknownasthe"DoubleSevenFestival".Origins:AccordingtoaromanticChinesefairytale,thecowherdandtheweavinggirlmeetontheeveningoftheDoubleSeven.Assuch,thefestivalisalsoknownasChina'sValentine'sDay.Thefairytalehasitthatthemilkywayseparatesthehard-workingcowherdandtheweavinggirl,whoareverydeeplyinlovewitheachother.ItisonlyontheSeventhEveningFestivalthattheycanmeet.Onthatevening,theworld'smagpiesformabridgeovertheMilkyWaysothattheloverscancrossoverandmeet.ThisbeautifultalehasitsoriginsintheHanDynasty(206BC-AD220).AllChinesepeoplearetoldthestorywhentheyarechildren.Thefestivalisalsobasedonanannualastronomicalphenomenon.Everyyearontheseventhdayoftheseventhlunarmonth,twoparticularstarsarebrightinthenightskyandshineuntilthesunrises.Oneofthestarsisthoughttobetheweavinggirlandtheotherthecowherd.Beggingforskills:PeoplehaveacustomofbeggingtheweavinggirltoteachthemneedleworkandweavingskillsontheDoubleSevenFestival.Girlsholdweavingandneedleworkcompetitionsonthedayofthefestivaltoseewhohasthequickestmindandthemostskillfulhands.Assuch,theSeventhEveningFestivalisalsocalledthe"BeggingforSkillsFestival"orthe"Daughters'Festival."Prayingforagoodharvest:AnothercustomoftheSeventhEveningFestivalisprayingtotheMilkyWayforagoodharvest.Someplaceshold"Qingmiao"or"YoungCrops"parties.
