The whole activity of Gansu Province Beggar's Day is divided into several links

The whole activity of Beggar's Day in Gansu Province is divided into five links.

1, zongzhi leaves pulling thread: in the night before the Beggar's Day, girls will pull colorful paper strips or thin threads on the zongzhi leaves. It is believed that on the day of the Beggar's Day, the stars will fall to the earth, and the paper strips or thin threads pulled by the girls will be able to adsorb these stars and bring them home, in order to pray for the improvement of wisdom and skills.

2, weaving crafts: on the day of the Beggar's Day, girls usually use colorful silk threads to weave trinkets, handicrafts or embroidered lace. Common handcrafts include colorful handkerchiefs and embroidered needlework boxes. These handicrafts are not only decorative, but also a way for girls to express their feelings and show their skills.

3, Temple Fairs: During the Beggar's Day, temple fairs are held all over Gansu Province. People will dress up in festive costumes and go to temple fairs to visit lanterns, guess riddles and taste food. There will also be various entertainment activities and performances at the temple fairs, such as lion dance, acrobatics, opera, etc., which add joy and festive atmosphere to the festival.

4. Worshiping the Weaving Maiden: The Beggar's Day is in honor of the legendary Weaving Maiden, so on this day, people will go to temples or riversides to pray to the Weaving Maiden for wisdom, love and happiness. People will burn incense, offer flowers and make offerings to express their reverence and blessings to the Weaving Maiden.

5, paper-cutting contest: During the Beggar's Day, a paper-cutting contest will also be held. Participants use scissors and paper, using creativity and skill to cut out a variety of beautiful patterns. This is not only an interesting competition activity, but also demonstrates people's enthusiasm and creativity for the Beggar's Day.

Historical Origins

The Tanabata Festival (Beggar's Nest) in Xihe County, Gansu Province, is related to a story about the stars Altair and Vega. On this night, when people look at the Milky Way, old men will point out that on the west bank of the Milky Way, there are a big, two small and three small stars, which are the Cowherd Stars. The Cowherd, carrying his burden, was looking bitterly across the river to the star of Vega.

Legend has it that the Weaving Maiden was the granddaughter of the Celestial Emperor, weaving cloud-printed brocade and immortal celestial garments in the Heavenly Palace. Later the Weaving Maiden stole down to the mortal world and fell in love with the Cowherd, giving birth to two children. When the Heavenly Emperor found out, he was furious and sent the heavenly gods to arrest his granddaughter back to the Heavenly Court. The old ox told the Cowherd to skin himself and fly up to heaven in pursuit of the Weaving Maiden. The Cowherd carried the children on a stretcher and was separated on the west side of the Heavenly River. The magpies were moved by the love of the Cowherd and the Weaving Maiden, and every year, on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, they flew together to the Heavenly River and built a magpie bridge so that the two couples could meet each other.

Legend has it that the Weaving Maiden is very skillful, so, on this day, the women who admire the Star Maiden's skill, to melon and fruit offerings to the Star God (Weaving Maiden or Kuixing God), and then sit together, or the moon piercing the needle, the competition eye, or the needle floating in the water, to spy on the human skill and clumsiness. Related folk rituals are: seven maiden, worship seven maiden (the ingenious woman to the Weaving Maiden blessing), eat seven maiden meal (begging for ingenuity artists spontaneously organized seven maiden feast), send seven maiden (burning offerings, send seven maiden back to the world of the immortals), and so on.