‘Wish upon the stars’ festival returns after half a century
The Qixi festival will return to Chinatown from 7 July to August, after an absence of more than 50 years. ST PHOTO: RYAN CHIONG
A magpie mascot named QiQi, or “seven seven” in Mandarin, has been created for the festival, which is also known as Double Seventh Festival, Seven Sisters Festival and Qiqiao Festival. Associated with the legend about the brief reunion of the cowherd and the weaver fairy on this day, it used to be one of the most important traditional Chinese festivals for women in Singapore. Legend has it that magpies would form a bridge every seventh day of the seventh lunar month for the lovers separated across the Milky Way, fulfilling their wish to meet. Since the Han Dynasty, it has been a custom to wish upon the stars on this day. Within Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese households, women would lead younger family members in different “wish-granting” rituals.
The Qixi Festival had its heyday here in the 1930s to 1950s. Women would form over 100 “Milky Way associations” in Chinatown, displaying their exquisite handicrafts, which included miniatures of items like furniture and food. This attracted throngs of visitors throughout the night. Celebrations that were grander than Chinese New Year were mostly held in the Keppel Harbour area. They lasted for several days, with elaborate offerings, auction banquets and opera performances by local and Hong Kong artistes. The festival faded from public consciousness in the 1970s, even as places elsewhere in Asia like Hong Kong, Vietnam, South Korea and Japan continued to celebrate it.
Qīxī Jié 七夕节 Double Seventh Festival 2023
Double Seventh Festival
Falling on the seventh day of seventh lunar month, the Double Seventh Festival in China, also known as Qixi Festival, is what Valentine's Day to the western countries. As it is a day of great importance to girls, the event is also called Young Girls' Festival. Because of the beautiful legend about Niu Lang and Zhi Nu, the festival has been endowed with the meaning of great romance.
While the customs of this festival varies according to the different regions, the same hope is cherished by all. The most prevalent custom is that of girls praying to Zhi Nu for skillful hands for sewing. Because Zhi Nu is regarded as a beautiful woman deft at weaving, in the evening of the festival, girls sew some articles to compete with each other and prepare some delicious fruits to worship Zhi Nu in order to be endowed with the masterly sewing skill. Not only hoping for this skill, they also pray to have a sweet love.
In the rural regions, people usually see the meeting of Niu Lang and Zhi Nu as two stars in the sky. At the same time, the old people tell the young about this old love legend. Unfortunately, this is not popular in cities nowadays.
