Qixi Festival Traditions

While modern day Qixi Festival traditions include sending flowers, chocolates and gifts to your special someone, there are some completely unique traditions that have been observed since the festival’s inception.

Although there are many different variations, Qixi Festival traditions across China most often involve demonstrating domestic skills, worshipping Zhinü the Weaver from the Qixi Festival legend, honouring oxen and making and eating 'skill fruit'.

Begging for Skills

Traditionally, Qixi Festival was not only a day for lovers to celebrate but also a special day for young girls - it was once also known as the "Begging for Skills Festival" or "Daughters' Festival".

During Qixi Festival it was customary for girls to beg Zhinü for dexterity. Begging for these skills was expressed in many different ways during the festival.

Some common activities included threading a needle under the moonlight while another was to carve fruit into the shapes of flowers, animals and unusual birds.

Worshiping Zhinü the Weaver Girl

Not only would young women worship Zhinü in hopes of gaining or strengthening their skills, they would also ask her for wisdom and a satisfying marriage in the future.

Worshipping Zhinü was sometimes expressed by preparing a table with tea, wine, fruit, nuts and melon seeds.

Making and Eating 'Skill Fruit'

‘Skill Fruit’ is not what it sounds like at all. Skill fruit actually refers to thin fried pastries.

On the day of Qixi Festival, it’s common for people to make and eat these tasty snacks made from oil, flour, sugar and honey.

Honoring Oxen

The ox is a very important individual in the story of Qixi Festival – he sacrificed himself to help the lovers reunite, so during Qixi Festival, it was not uncommon for children to pick wild flowers and hang them on the oxen’s horns.

Offerings to Niulang and Zhinü

A garland is hung outside where single and newly-wed women gather their offerings together. These offerings include fruit, flowers, tea and face powder.

Once the offering is finished, half of the face powder is thrown onto the roof while the other half is divided among the young women. In doing this, it is believed that the women will be bound in beauty with Zhinü.

While many of these traditional customs are less commonly observed in urban cities, they are still often practiced in rural areas around China.

Read next: Find out more about Qixi Legends or Qixi Festival Food. Take a look at our Qixi Festival Pinterest Board. 

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