In the field of studying cultural phenomena, there are various interpretations of the origin and essence of the Qixi Festival.
Among them, some scholars focus on the historical background, arguing that the original attributes of the Qixi Festival should be regarded as a "ritual of fertility worship". In ancient times, women's reproductive ability was regarded as one of the important elements of life, playing a key role in both the family and society, and the reproduction of the family was seen as an important way to continue the life of the family. This view is basically based on an in-depth study of the course of human cultural development. By looking back at history, these perspectives emphasize that the main purpose of the Qixi Festival sacrifice is to eulogize the union of the woman and her ancestors and realize the desire to multiply.
Another group of scholars has focused on ancient myths and legends and put forward a new perspective, interpreting the festival as a symbol of the relationship between the goddess Vega Nu and the male god Morning Glory, as well as between heaven and earth. Some mythologists, based on the myths and legends of ancient times and classical ** samples have conducted research, showing that the ** of the two gods of Weaver Girl and Huanggu (river drum and morning glory) can be traced back to the original image of the two-sex god Queen Mother of the West and the evolution of related myths and legends. They believe that the Weaver Girl mainly inherits the characteristics of the Queen Mother of the West, and pun-ons represent the heavens;The Weaver Girl inherits the main characteristics of the Queen Mother of the West and is regarded as the embodiment of heaven;And the morning glory is the incarnation of the male deity Dong Wang, which corresponds to the Queen Mother of the West, which appeared in the late period, and symbolizes the earth. It can be seen that the relationship between the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl actually reflects the concept of harmony between heaven and earth and the harmony of yin and yang in the ancient Chinese philosophical system.
In addition, they choose to date on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, because every seven days are not only ordinary days in daily life, but also the "return of ancestral spirits" that hides the great meaning of reverence for historical inheritance. In addition to the deeper meaning of myths and legends, we cannot ignore the fact that the Qixi Festival has become a religious sacrifice before the Tang Dynasty. In this tradition, the seventh day of the seventh lunar month is not only a festive day to celebrate a good harvest, but also an auspicious time for people to pray for peace and prosperity for their families. According to folk Xi, this day is also a special period of spiritual communication between God and ancestors, and is called "Ancestral Spirit Return Day".
From the perspective of sociology and psychology, we might as well take ancient myths and folklore as the research object to interpret the causes, inner meaning and continuous inheritance of this ancient festival.
Examining the ancient Chinese myths and legends related to Qixi Festival, we find that the constellations known as "River Drum" and "Weaver Girl" have become important sources of origin for the Qixi Festival. As early as 2,000 years ago, people began to observe these two stars, and it has been mentioned in the "Dadong" chapter of the "Book of Songs: Xiaoya" that they were originally twinkling stars in the sky. With the accumulation of time, these stars have gradually been endowed with sacred meaning in the hearts of human beings and have become the objects of people's devout worship. This transformation stems from the ancient ancestors' observation of celestial phenomena and their belief in the concept of "heaven and earth sensing"—they believed that the sun, moon and stars all have spirituality, and all the rise and fall of the world can be related to good and evil.
During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the well-known scholar Cui Wei recorded in detail in his book "Four Peoples Moon Order" a detailed description of the Xi of the Qixi Festival: people would burn scriptures, arrange wine and fruits, sprinkle incense powder on the hall, and pray to the two stars of the cowherd and weaver girl in the heavenly galaxy system and pray for well-being. Or, the Milky Way's ** white gas is rolling, like ripples in the rivers of the earth, shining, with a glorious and colorful weather, which is regarded as a good omen, as a confirmation, people who see it have bowed and prayed, and it will take three years to realize. It can be seen that this myth originated from the ancients' contemplation of the fate of the stars, as well as a simple belief in fantasizing about using the power of the stars to achieve their own wishes.
In the Jin Dynasty, Zhou recorded the specific content of Qixi "begging" in his classic book, Feng Tu Ji, including prayers for wealth and blessings, as well as wishes for health, longevity, and childbirth. You can only choose one, not both;It is not until three years have elapsed before you can re-request. Although this custom of begging is full of sacredness and solemnity, there are also people who have fulfilled it and been blessed by it. Wealth, longevity, and a large number of children and grandchildren have become the ideal way of life recognized by the general public in a specific historical context, and in this context, we can see that the objects of prayer of the ancients were not limited to women, but also men played an important role. From a sociological point of view, under the patriarchal system and agricultural civilization in the ancient Chinese social structure, these traditions reflect the yearning of the traditional Chinese agricultural society for family harmony and reproduction. This phenomenon reflects that human society has reached a certain height of development at that time, and the yearning for life is no longer limited to basic survival needs.
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Cowherd and Weaver Girl had changed from a simple star to a husband and wife with a strong human atmosphere. During this period, folk literature was passed down from generation to generation, so that the astronomical characteristics of the starry sky gradually faded away, and instead reflected a strong interest in life.
As mentioned in the Eastern Han Dynasty, the fairy and weaver girl need to cross the Milky Way on the seventh day of the seventh month, when the magpies should build a bridge so that they can meet the cowherd. Although this record does not clearly indicate that the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl are husband and wife, the Weaver Girl soars and flows in the sky, just like a woman in the mortal world who marries and obeys her husband according to the etiquette. What's more noteworthy is that "Nineteen Ancient Poems: Its Nine" is titled "Morning Glory", vividly interpreting their painful journey of parting in the world. Subsequently, with the passage of time, around the Wei and Jin dynasties, the Cowherd and Weaver Girl have been regarded as a pair of loving but difficult to keep together. Their fate has deeply touched the emotional nerves of the people, aroused everyone's concern and sympathy, and derived more details of the story. So far, the Cowherd and Weaver Girl, who originally belonged to the Taixu world, have been firmly embedded in the life scene of human emotions, and the rich emotional color of the human world has invisibly enhanced their charm.
At the same time, in the process of praising this story, it is more and more entangled with mythological elements such as "God" and "Queen Mother", gradually integrating more mythological elements, and gradually transforming into a complex of myths and legends, forming a unique synthesis of Chinese myths and legends. Over the years, this myth has gradually become part of people's daily lives.
According to research, the legends and stories of "Qixi Festival" were once rich and colorful, deeply loved by people and passed on by word of mouth, and many legends and stories were intertwined to form a unique cultural style. However, with the passage of time and the choice of history, some of these stories gradually disappeared, and only the legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl survived and became the most representative romantic narrative of the Qixi Festival.
What makes this particular story stand out is the breadth and depth of the legend itself. Its plump characters, rich human flavors, tragic and moving storylines, and open-ended narrative structure, as well as endless inspiration** and bright emotional tendencies. Together, these factors create a strong emotional expression and value transmission, which makes the story more powerful and deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Not only that, but we should also see that this form of story is malleable and can be transformed with the ideological trends of the times, so as to attract more viewers and listeners. This is why this story has remained distinctively in the historical currents without being buried, and has even become one of the stories that the mainstream public is happy to accept at some point.
According to the literature, the origin of the special day of "Tanabata" is not exclusive to women, it is not limited to women's participation in the beginning, and the content of the activity does not only revolve around the begging wishes of young girls. However, over time, especially at night, the day evolved into a female-specific festival – Daughter's Day. This transformation did not happen overnight, but was a long process of cultural change, and we have seen it evolve from diverse and full of change to a simple and clear form. This complex evolution process highlights the delicacy of human society and culture.
Originally, the meaning and form of this festival were very diverse and complex, including many folk activities in which the whole people participated, such as climbing high and looking into the distance, drying clothes, turning over books and other daily affairs, as well as praying for wealth, longevity, children, etc. In the end, the customs and Xi left by our ancestors, these originally diverse and different forms of folk activities gradually became singular and centralized, and the Qixi Festival finally formed a single and pure phenomenon - begging. The core content of the women's festival on the seventh day of the seventh month is attributed to women's weaving skills and prayers for the moon. On the night of Qixi Festival, they will take advantage of this festival to express the troubles and expectations in life, integrate their hearts into the action of threading the needle, and pray for happiness and happiness by praying to the Weaver Girl and praying to the heavens and the ancient moon with their pious hearts.
The development process of such beliefs and Xi customs vividly reflects the law of Chinese integration and evolution in the historical process, confirms the standardization trend of folk activities and related legends, and reveals the deep laws in the development process of folk customs.
Traditional Chinese culture, in the relationship between men and women, often"Worship men and degrade women"From a male perspective, many female constraints and requirements are derived. Although traditional Chinese culture values the status of men, it is also committed to protecting women's rights and interests, showing care and respect for women, especially in folk culture. A good example of this is the Qixi Festival, which is not only a way to celebrate, but also a manifestation of women's rights. From the original public festival to now a festival that belongs exclusively to women, behind it is the in-depth understanding and full affirmation of the psychological needs of women in the whole society. This is because the whole society generally agrees that no matter what class, identity or age group, women have psychological demands that need to be expressed urgently, and a suitable channel is needed to release the load of the soul, use festival activities to express their inner emotions, and release the usually suppressed emotions in the form of festivals.
In fact, the so-called folk festival is to break the monotony of daily life through the setting of special dates, so that those feelings that are usually bound and suppressed can be vented and released. They can use this special occasion to express their innermost yearning and desire at all stages of life. These wishes are often endured in the daily tedious life, and cannot be spoken openly and directly, and can often only be silently buried in the depths of the heart.
Only on the night of Qixi Festival, this day of special significance, can the deep and affectionate prayer of the hearts of women find a legal, solemn and dignified way"Celebrate the holidays"In the name of these wishes and dreams, these wishes and dreams are displayed.
All these show the respect and cherishment of women's self-consciousness in our tradition, as well as the awakening of the subconscious concern for women's fate, realizing that women also have an independent life space, and also need to have fair and equal rights. Therefore, the Qixi Festival itself also reflects the in-depth thinking on gender issues in Chinese culture, and shows the progress of Chinese society in terms of gender concepts. It teaches us that respect and attention are the foundation of healthy and harmonious relationships, and that both men and women deserve the understanding and support they deserve.
The creation of this unique festival and the content and manner of its activities can be described as a tortuous portrayal of the situation in which Chinese women are unable to protect their basic rights and interests under feudal constraints, and are often repressed. It also deeply reflects the deep sympathy and concern among the public, and is full of compassion for the fate of women, which comes from the collective consciousness in the genes of the Chinese nation. This is by no means an accidental phenomenon, but originates from the in-depth exploration of the nature of human nature, the persistent pursuit of fairness and justice, and the love and pursuit of a better life by generations of Chinese children.
In short, the formation of the Qixi Festival is rich and tortuous, full of a deep understanding of religion, nature, love and life. Whether it is from the view of the celestial phenomena in the past to the chant of today's people, or the pious expectation during the begging to the pride and luxury of the flower viewing and drinking banquet, it reflects the great power of Chinese people to reproduce, inherit and innovate.
Autumn and Winter Check-in Challenge