The Chinese Valentine’s Day is also called Qixi, which falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. Almost all the Chinese know the romantic tragedy of the legend about Zhinv (the Weaving Maid) and her huaband Niulang (Cowherd). The festival can be traced back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). Niulang lived with his elder brother and sister-in-law, however, he was treated terrible and finally left them with only a cow, however, the cow was a former God who had violated imperial rules and was sent to earth in bovine form. One day Niulang met Zhinv, the most beautiful fairy and a skilled seamstress and they fell in love at the first sight. They had a son and daughter and their happy life was held up as an example for hundreds of years in China. Yet in the eyes of the Jade Emperor, the Supreme Deity in Taoism, marriage between a mortal and fairy was strictly forbidden. He ordered the heaven troop to catch Zhinu back. Niulang grew desperate and then the cow told him to turn its hide into a pair of shoes after it died.The magic shoes whisked Niulang, who carried his two children in baskets strung from a shoulder pole, off on a chase after the empress. The pursuit enraged the empress, who took her hairpin and slashed it across the sky creating the Milky Way which separated husband from wife. But all was not lost as magpies, moved by their love and devotion, formed a bridge across the Milky Way to reunite the family. Even the Jade Emperor was touched, and allowed Niulang and Zhinu to meet once a year on the seventh night of the seventh month. This is how Qixi formed.

Nowadays, people would look up at the sky and find a bright star in the constellation Aquila as well as the star Vega, which are identified as Niulang and Zhinu. The two stars shine on opposite sides of the Milky Way. Chinese still follow the customs. Girls test whether they are skilled embroiders. Single women pray for finding a good husband in the future. The newly married women pray to become pregnant quickly.

The love story of Niulang and Zhinu, and the Qixi Festival have been handed down for generations. Many modern Chinese still prepare a lot in the advance to express their love to their beloved girls in many ways. They will think more methods to create surprise for their lovers. Boys will buy bouquets of roses, chocolates for girls and have romantic candlelight dinners with girls, or even take the girls to some romantic places to spend the special day together,and sometimes the gilrs will be touched to tears . Of course, the girl also will think of more ways to convey their love to boys, which will makes the boy love the girl greater.

The true love is precious. If you havn't got it, look for it with your sincere heart; If you hold it, please maintain the consistent affection with your loyal and persistent heart.