Becki Lee, studied at Beijing Language and Culture University

Answered Thu

Chinese Valentine’s Day is nearly here. It is the 7th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar, also known as “七夕节 (Qīxījié) Double Seven Festival”. In 2018 it falls on Friday, August 17. You may be wondering what to “买 (mǎi) buy” for the occasion. I’ll tell you what the perfect "礼物 (lǐwù) gift" is. But before you run out the door to buy something special for your darling love, listen to the origin story of how Chinese Valentine's came to be.

中国的情人节就要到了。在中国日历,,它是农历七月初七,也被称为“七夕节(Qīxījie)或双七节”。2018年的七夕节适逢8月17号星期五。您可能想知道“这个时候买(mǎi)什么”。我告诉你一个完美的“礼物(lǐwu)”。但是，在你为你的爱人买些特别的东西之前，先听听中国情人节是怎么来的吧。

Chinese Valentine’s Day wasn’t always celebrated as we know it today. “中国情人节 (Zhōngguó Qíngrénjié) Chinese Valentine's Day” actually began as a fable that is older than that of Romeo and Juliet but just as beautiful. While the story has many variations, what we do know is that it begins in the Han Dynasty with a poor, orphaned cowherd called Niu Lang and a young maiden named Zhi Nü. Zhi Nü was the youngest of 7 daughters of the emperor of heaven.

中国的情人节并不总是像我们今天所知道的那样庆祝。“中国情人节(Zhōngguo Qingrenjie)”实际上，这是一个比罗密欧与朱丽叶更古老但同样美丽的寓言故事。这个故事有很多变化，我们所知道的是，它开始于汉朝，一个贫穷的，孤儿牛郎和一个年轻的少女叫织女。织女是天帝七个女儿中最小的一个。

One day while she was bathing in a river Niu Lang came across her and they fell in love. This angered the Emperor. She beckoned for Zhi Nü to come back and as she arrived home the Emperor separated the realm of the heavens and Earth with a silver river in the sky, which symbolizes the Milky Way. After much sadness from being apart from her love, the Emperor agreed to allow the lovers to visit one day a year. The magpies voluntarily helped make this happen. They would fly Niu Lang upwards to the Silver River and make a bridge for the couple to meet. It is said that on this day it is hard to find magpies because they are all busy making the bridge.

有一天，当她在一条河上洗澡的时候，牛郎遇见了她，他们相爱了。这激怒了皇帝。她招手让织女回来，当她回到家的时候，皇帝用天空中的一条银色的河分开了天地，这条河象征着银河。在经历了与爱人分离的悲痛之后，天皇同意让这对恋人每年有一天去探望他们。喜鹊自愿促成了这一切。他们将把牛郎送上银河，为这对新人搭一座桥。据说在这一天很难找到喜鹊，因为他们都在忙着造桥。

Now that you know the story it’s time to talk about what to “买 (mǎi) buy” your friend or loved one. Usually, roses and chocolates are the preferred “礼物 (lǐwù): gifts” yet these days it’s becoming more common to arrange a “双人游 (shuāng rén yóu) tour for two” trip. Going someplace romantic to celebrate a day centered around love is the perfect opportunity to “表白 (biǎobái) confess” true feelings about your darling.

现在你知道这个故事由来了，是时候谈论为你的朋友或爱人买(mǎi)买买了。通常,玫瑰和巧克力是首选的“礼物(lǐwu)。而然你也可以为你们安排一个双人游，或去浪漫的地方庆祝一天，这是一个完美的表白机会”。

Whatever you choose to give as a “礼物 (lǐwù): gift” just remember this day is about cherishing the people you are with. Just being close is special enough. Hopefully, you can see your special someone more than one time a year, unlike the unfortunate starring characters of the “七夕节 (Qīxījié) Double Seven Festival.”

无论你选择给“礼物(lǐwu)”，要记得这一天是珍惜与你在一起的人。亲近就足够特别了。希望你能看到你的特殊的人超过一年一次,不像那个不幸的七夕节主角们。”

SI Nuo, Law, PKU.

Answered Aug 4, 2014

This is part of the Chinese folklore system but traditionally NOT celebrated. It was only until recent years the 'Dating Industry' discovered that this Chinese Valentine thing had not been fully exploited yet.  So they had decided to design all kinds of make-you-pay events tailored to this day. So in general, Chinese people celebrate this day by doing lovey-dovey stuff and spend money.

这是中国民俗系统的一部分，但传统上不庆祝。直到最近几年，“婚介业”才发现中国的情人节还没有被充分利用。所以他们决定设计各种各样的“让你付钱”的活动，以适应今天的需要。所以一般来说，中国人庆祝这一天的方式是做一些爱的事情和花钱。

Aponce Jee, have lived in China

Answered Aug 18, 2017

In modern times, normally a romantic dinner or flowers for lover :-)

In Ancient times, more traditions, you can find here : h

在现代，通常是为情人准备的浪漫晚餐或鲜花:-)

在古代，更传统的是，你可以在这里找到<中国人如何庆祝7.7在古代>:h

Bowen Fu

Answered Aug 18, 2014

The Lantern Festival may be Chinese traditional valentine's day.

In the early days, young people were chaperoned in the streets in hopes of finding love on that day. Matchmakers acted busily in hopes of pairing couples. The brightest lanterns were symbolic of good luck and hope. As time has passed, the festival no longer has such implications in most of China.

元宵节可能是中国传统的情人节。

在早期，年轻人被陪伴在街上，希望在这一天找到真爱。媒人忙着为配对新人做准备。最亮的灯笼象征着好运和希望。随着时间的推移，这个节日在中国大部分地区已经不再具有这样的意义。

In the past, young girls go to the local temple to pray to Zhinü for wisdom on Qixi Festival, which is mistakenly assumed to be Chinese valentine's day.

在过去，年轻的女孩们会在七夕节去当地的寺庙祈求智慧。七夕节被误认为是中国的情人节。

Nigel Cheung, Life-Shmife. Backpacker.

Answered Jun 22, 2016

Well, for those who has her/his the significant other, they will normally just go out for a meal or something like go to movies, shopping and sending gifts to each other. But recently in China, the young generation doesn’t really enjoy our own Chinese Valentine’s Day ( in Chinese七夕）instead they would pay more attention on Western Valentine’s Day, which for me is a bit ironic then, maybe they think the western valentine’s day is more Posh like? Popular, Well-Known? But anyway, lets just get back to d question. Yes, Most of us will have a date with our boyfriend/girlfriend on that day, normally the girls will be receiving a bunch of rose for the gift ( u can take anything u like as the present then), when i was in d uni, for the first three years in the uni i was like : having meal together with my buddies , aha, cause i don’t have a girl with me by that time, what a shame, phew!!! Most of my friends will date their girls and then obviously will have sex ( in china, Valentine’s day will definitely be a nice time or good excuses for boys to take girls out and have sex with them). Well, that’s wot i know about people around me who celebrated their Chinese Valentine’s day.

嗯，对于那些和另一半在一起的人来说，他们通常会出去吃顿饭或者去看电影、购物或者互送礼物。但最近在中国,年轻一代并没有真正享受自己的七夕节(中国七夕)，相反,他们更多的关注西方情人节,这对我来说有点讽刺,也许他们认为西方情人节更豪华的?受欢迎,著名的?不管怎样，我们还是回到d问题。是的,我们大多数人会和我们的男朋友/女朋友有一个约会在那一天,通常女孩会收到一束玫瑰的礼物(你可以把你喜欢的任何东西当作礼物),当我还在大学,大学的前三年我是:和我的朋友在一起吃饭,哈哈,因为那个时候我没有女朋友，真可惜,唷! ! !我的大多数朋友都会和他们的女孩约会，然后很明显就会发生性关系(在中国，情人节绝对是男孩带女孩出去和他们做爱的好时机或好借口）。嗯，我知道我周围的人都在庆祝他们的中国情人节。