Macau Festival - Seven Sisters Festival

The Seven Sisters Festival falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, that is Aug 9, this year, 2016. Informally known as ‘Chinese Valentine’s Day’ (along with the Spring Lantern Festival) the Seven Sisters Festival has its origins in the two stars Altair and Vega. Chinese legend tells that these shining beauties are actually two lovers - a mortal cowherd and a goddess weaver - who have been cruelly separated on either side of the Milky Way. While the tale has several variations, many say that on this date each year the magpies of the world take pity on the star-crossed pair and form a temporary bridge for them to be united.

The tale of The Weaver Girl and the Cowherd has been celebrated in the Qixi Festival since the Han Dynasty. The earliest-known reference to this famous myth dates back to over 2600 years ago, which was told in a poem from the Classic of Poetry. The Qixi festival inspired Tanabata festival in Japan, Chilseok festival in Korea, and Thất Tịch festival in Vietnam.

Traditionally, girls take part in worshiping the celestials during rituals. They go to the local temple to pray to Zhinü for wisdom. Paper items are usually burned as offerings. Girls may recite traditional prayers for dexterity in needlework, which symbolize the traditional talents of a good spouse.  Divination could take place to determine possible dexterity in needlework. They make wishes for marrying someone who would be a good and loving husband. During the festival, girls make a display of their domestic skills. Traditionally, there would be contests amongst those who attempted to be the best in threading needles under low-light conditions like the glow of an ember or a half moon. Today, girls sometimes gather toiletries in honor of the seven maidens.

On this day, the Chinese gaze to the sky to look for Vega and Altair shining in the Milky Way, while a third star forms a symbolic bridge between the two stars. It was said that if it rains on this day that it was caused by a river sweeping away the magpie bridge or that the rain is the tears of the separated couple. Based on the legend of a flock of magpies forming a bridge to reunite the couple, a pair of magpies came to symbolize conjugal happiness and faithfulness.

If you happen to be in Macau on Aug 9, in addition to enjoy the festive atmosphere here, I strongly recommend you the House of Dancing Water. It is a one-and-only show whose theme is love and romance and this special show could cool you down in this hot summer.