Qixi festival (七夕节), falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month in the Chinese calendar and is also known as the Chinese Valentine’s Day. According to Chinese mythology dating as far back as the Han Dynasty, it is a festival celebrating the annual meeting of a cowherd and a weaver girl.
The mythical legend tells the story of two lovers, Niulang (Cowherd) and Zhinu (Weaver girl) who are only permitted to meet once a year: on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month on the Chinese calendar. This day, like Valentine’s Day, is a time for star-crossed lovers to profess their love with grand romantic gestures, artisan chocolates and more recently, special editions of Louis Vuitton handbags.
Watch the YouTube clip below for an animated story of "The cowherd and the weaver girl 牛郎织女" in Mandarin with bilingual English - Simplified Chinese subtitles.