What is the traditional Valentine's Day in China?

Introduction of Traditional Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, also known as St. Valentine's Day or St. Valentine's Day (St. Valentine's Day), that is, every year on February 14, is one of the traditional Western holidays. Men and women send each other chocolates, cards and flowers on this day to express love or friendship, has become a favorite holiday for young people in Europe and the United States. There are probably as many interpretations of the origin of Valentine's Day as there are lovers in the world. And the Chinese people are now almost fanatical enthusiasm for Christmas, Valentine's Day has also quietly penetrated the hearts of countless young people, and has become another important holiday in addition to the traditional Chinese festival.

In China, the night of the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, the weather is warm, the grass smells, which is commonly known as the Tanabata Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day), also known as the "Beggar's Day" or "Daughter's Day", which is the most romantic of the traditional Chinese festivals, and is also the most romantic festival for girls in the past. This is the most romantic of all traditional Chinese festivals, and also the most important day for girls in the past. They look at the bright moon in the sky, set out seasonal fruits and melons, and worship toward the sky, begging the goddess in the sky to give them smart hearts and dexterous hands, and even more so, begging for a happy marriage.

The origin of Valentine's Day

Legend I

In ancient Rome, February 14th was a festival to show respect to Yona. Yona was the queen of the Roman gods, and the Romans honored her as the god of both women and marriage. The next day, February 15, was known as "Lupusala", a festival to honor the other gods under the rule of Jona.

In ancient Rome, the lives of young men and women were strictly separated. However, on the festival of Lupasara, lads were allowed to choose the name of a girl of their choice to be engraved on a vase. This way, when the festival was over, the lad could dance with the girl of his choice and celebrate the festival. If the chosen girl was also interested in the boy, they would be paired up and eventually they would fall in love and walk into the church together to get married. This is why the 14th of February is celebrated as Valentine's Day.

Legend Two

Valentine's Day is called St. Valentine's Day in English. Literally, it's hard to see any connection between the Chinese and Western ways of saying Valentine's Day. There is a moving story hidden inside. In the third century AD, there was a tyrant named Claudius in ancient Rome. At that time, the Roman internal and external wars were frequent, in order to replenish the soldiers, the tyrant ordered: all men of a certain age, must enter the army to serve the country. Since then, husbands left their wives, teenagers left their lovers, and the whole of Rome was shrouded in long-lasting lovesickness. However, tyranny could not forbid love. Not far from the palace of the tyrant, there was a very beautiful temple. The monk Valentine lived here. The Romans revered him, men and women, young and old, rich and poor, always gathered around him, in front of the altar fire, listening to Valentine's prayers.

The wars of ancient Rome were constant, and the tyrant Claudius enlisted a large number of citizens to go to war, and people complained. The men were reluctant to leave their families, and the young men could not bear to be separated from their lovers. Claudius was so furious that he ordered that no marriages should be celebrated, and even all betrothals were to be broken off at once. Many young men thus bid farewell to their loved ones and went off to war in grief. The young girls were also depressed and saddened by the loss of their lovers.

Valentine was very saddened by the tyrant's abusive behavior. When a couple came to the temple to ask for his help, Valentini quietly married them in front of the sacred altar. Word spread and many people came to be partnered with Valentine's help. Word finally reached the palace and reached the ears of the tyrant. Once again, Klaudos was furious, and he ordered his soldiers to storm the temple and drag Valentine away from a couple in the middle of a wedding ceremony and throw him into a dungeon. The people begged in vain for the tyrant's impeachment. The dungeon was a place where he was tortured and died.

His sorrowful friends buried him in the church of St. Pula. The day was February 14th, and the year was 270 AD.

Legend III

Legend has it that Valentine was one of the earliest Christians, a time when being a Christian meant danger and death. To cover other martyrs, Valentine was captured and thrown into a prison cell. There he healed the blind eyes of the warden's daughter. When the tyrant heard of this miracle, he was so terrified that he had Valentine beheaded. According to the legend, on the morning of the execution, Valentine wrote an affectionate farewell letter to the warden's daughter, addressed to her: From your Valentine. On that day, the blind daughter planted an apricot tree with red flowers in front of his grave to send her love, and that day was February 14th.

Since then, Christianity has designated February 14 as Valentine's Day.

Legend 4

Historians prefer to get to the bottom of the matter, and their rendition of Valentine's Day seems convincing. In fact, far earlier than 270 A.D., when the foundations of the city of Rome were first laid, the surrounding area was still a wilderness with packs of wolves roaming around. Among the gods worshipped by the Romans, Lupercus, the god of animal husbandry, was in charge of the protection of shepherds and flocks. Every year in mid-February, the Romans celebrated the Pastoral Festival with great ceremony. At that time, the calendar was slightly later compared to today, so the festival was actually a celebration of the coming spring. Others say the festival celebrated the god Faunus, which was similar to the ancient Greek god Pan, who was a goat-footed man with horns on his head, and was in charge of animal husbandry and agriculture.

The origins of the faun festival are too ancient to be confirmed by scholars of the first century BC. But the importance of the festival is undeniable.

For example, it is written that Antony gave the crown to Julius Caesar in 44 BC on the occasion of the Feast of the Patriarchs.

Every year on February 15, monks would gather in the city of Rome by a cave on the hill of Baronetine, where it is said that the founder of the ancient city of Rome was raised by a she-wolf. Among the festivities of the festival was the running through the streets of the young nobles, armed with sheepskin whips. Young women would gather on both sides of the street and pray for the whip to strike them on the head. It was believed that this would make it easier for them to have children. In Latin, the whip was called februa and the lash was called fabruatio, both of which actually mean "purity". This is where the word February comes from.

As Roman power expanded across Europe, the custom of the festival of the shepherds was brought to what is now France and Britain. One of the most popular events of the festival was something like a lottery. The names of young women were placed in a box and young men came forward to draw them. The winning pair became lovers for a year or more.

The rise of Christianity led to a decline in the practice of honoring the gods. Not wanting people to give up the joys of the festival, the clergy changed the pastoral festival (Lupercalia) to Valladin and moved it to February 14th. In this way, the legend of Friar Valentine and the ancient festival were naturally combined. This festival was most popular in medieval England. After the names of unmarried men and women were drawn, they would exchange gifts with each other, and the woman would become the Valentine of the man during the year. The woman's name would be embroidered on the man's sleeve, and the care and protection of that woman would then become the sacred duty of the man.

The Pope declared February 14th Valentine's Day in about 498 AD. This Roman form of marriage was considered illegitimate by Christians. During the Middle Ages, in England and France, it was commonly believed that February 14 was the season for mating birds. Thus an addition was made to this day that it should be a day of romance. The earliest Valentine's Day gift was a poem written by the Duke of Orleans, Charles, to his wife from his prison in the Tower of London. For he had been captured at the Battle of Agincourt. Now this blessing, written in 1415, is in the British Museum in London. A few years later, King Henry V hired John Lydgate to write a tune for Catherine of Valois as a Valentine's Day gift.

The earliest Valentine's Day

The earliest known Valentine lover in the modern sense of the word was in the early fifteenth century. The young French Archduke of Orleans was captured by the British at the Battle of Agincourt and then imprisoned in the Tower of London for many years. He wrote many love poems to his wife, about 60 of which have survived to this day. The use of flowers as tokens of Vallendar appeared about two hundred years later. One of the daughters of King Henry IV of France had a big party at Vallée de Genève. All the ladies received a bouquet of flowers from the man who chose her to be Valentine.

In this way, continuing the ancient Italian, French and English customs, we are able to send a message of love to our friends every year on February 14th. Flowers, heart-shaped candies, and tokens with the name of the sender obscured by lace and tassels, not only represent a sincere love, but also the best way to honor the memory of Friar Valentine, who dared to fight against the tyranny of the world.

Customs of Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, also known as St. Valentine's Day, is celebrated on February 14 every year and is a day to be cautious - for both singles and romantics. single people and romantics alike. "As soon as you wake up on Valentine's Day, you should peek through the keyhole. According to legend, if the first person you saw was walking alone, you would be celibate that year; if you saw two or more people walking together, you were sure to find a lover that year; and if you saw a rooster and a hen, you would be married by Christmas. Nowadays, there are few roosters and hens in the courtyards of the houses, and there are no chickens in the open spaces of the city, so if you can see a pair of pigeons or a pair of sparrows, it's the same thing.

Singles pay special attention to the first person they meet on the morning of Valentine's Day, because if you're unmarried and looking for a partner, you're destined to marry the first person you see on February 14th, or at least the first person who will play a significant role in your life. If you're not shy, you can call your intended early in the morning and ask for a ride to work. Or closing the door and going out until noon would be a good response.

"Valentine's Day" is one of the oldest holidays, dating back to before Christianity, but "St. Valentine's Day" is more recent. According to legend, St. Valentine was one of two bishops of the same name in ancient Rome, both of whom were killed in 270 AD. The last thing they did before they were killed was to write a love letter to their wives (at that time, priests were allowed to get married), and since then, the name "St. Valentine's Day" has been applied to early religious ceremonies. According to the same legend, on St. Valentine's Day, birds were paired up, bees flew in pairs, and so did people.

Different times, "Valentine's Day" when the prediction of marriage, the way to attract lovers is also different. From ancient Rome to the Victorian era, people used two half-open flowers to predict the state of marriage. Unmarried men and women planted two half-open flowers, and the first letter of the flower's name should be the same as the first letter of their respective names. If the two flowers are intertwined, it is a sign that the couple will be happy for life; if the two flowers are back to back, it is a sign that the couple will go their separate ways; if the flowers are in full bloom, it is a sign that the future family will be prosperous; and if one of the flowers fades or dies, it means that one of the couples will die prematurely before the other.

If you do not want to leave it to fate, you can try an ancient method from Buckinghamshire, England: that is, in the evening of "St. Valentine's Day" to light a candle, at the bottom of the two needles, to make sure that the needle through the candle wick, the side of the tie and say: I am not only tied to the candle one, I want to penetrate the heart of the xxxxxxxx, no matter whether he is sleeping or awake, I am all Sleeping is awake, I want him to talk to me, but be careful, you choose the dream lover to be practical, do not wish for the unattainable characters. It is said that when the candle burns to the needle, your lover will push open the door and run to you. The second way is to put the sock of your right foot on your left foot every night for a week before "Valentine's Day", while saying under your breath: "Dreaming of a living person, not a dead ghost, this is the young man I want to marry. After speaking keep silent until you wake up the next day. The third way is to tie the sock of the left foot around the neck before going to bed. Be careful not to tie it too tightly, for if you strangle yourself, it will be a mistake.

Unmarried women believe that if they put their shoes in a T-shape under the bed and leave the window open, they are bound to dream of their sweetheart or find him standing in front of the bed. This is more successful in the countryside because her suitor can peer through the window and see the specially placed shoes.

Although Valentine's Day has been in decline for more than 100 years since the Victorian era, today the holiday is growing in popularity. Today, however, the holiday is growing in popularity. "St. Valentine's Day is all about love, romance, flowers, chocolates, and greeting cards, and it's precious to our souls.

The customs of Valentine's Day have varied over the ages. One of the most unique Valentine's Day customs from 1837-1901 during the time of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom: on this day, February 14, pairs of lovers, a plant with two budding buds of spring branches transplanted in a special pot. The first letter of the flower's name must match the first letter of the couple's name. A few days later, if the spring branch on the two buds bloom, interplay, it will be a sign of this pair of lovers together; if the two buds are divided into the west and east, north and north of the spit stamens, this pair of lovers, the people will be separated; if the flowers bloomed large, brilliant, said that after the children and grandchildren, the family happy; if a flower wilted withered and wilted, the lovers of a person with the risk of an early death. In Buckinghamshire was also prevalent in the night of Valentine's Day prayer custom: light a candle, insert two fine needles, from the bottom of the candle into the heart of the candle, recite the name of their loved ones, praying for love always, to be burned to the candle to the tip of the needle, it is said that the loved one will be in time to knock to the door. There is also a Valentine's Day custom: in the week before Valentine's Day, for seven consecutive nights, will be the left foot socks off to wear to the right foot, repeated wishes: "May my heart love children can enter the dream tonight." It is said that this is when the old man under the moon throws down a big red thread of auspiciousness. There are also socks off around the neck to pray for love.

After the Victorian era, the custom of Valentine's Day gradually faded, and in the 1930s and 1940s, with the prevalence of greeting cards, Valentine's Day and rekindle the fire. In some countries, Valentine's Day has evolved into a trend of women expressing their love for men, so March 14th has become a "return to the plot", that is, the man to the woman gifts to show that "return to love".

Valentine's Day is a day belonging to friends, belonging to the family, belonging to the lover's day. In the West, Valentine's Day is not only the best time to express affection, but also the best time to propose to one's beloved. In this regard, Valentine's Day reflects, is not it the ancient Romans designed this holiday intention?

Valentine's Day Gifts

Usually on Valentine's Day, a red rose is given to express the feelings between lovers. A half-opened red rose is lined with a beautiful green leaf, then packed in a clear plastic bag with a single flower, and tied with a beautiful bow on the lower part of the stem to form a beautiful small bouquet as a perfect gift for Valentine's Day. Roses are one of the world's leading gift flowers, signifying devotion, emotion and vigor. Roses generally come in deep red, pink, yellow and white colors. Famous varieties include Queen Elizabeth (red) and First Love (yellow). Red roses are most commonly given on Valentine's Day. How many roses should I send to my lover? Of course, the more the better. One rose for love, three roses for "I love you". Sending 6 or 8 roses represents an auspicious number, while sending 11 roses is to give 10 roses to your favorite person and another one to represent yourself. As for sending 24 branches is the international norm, 12 branches for a dozen, representing the 12 months of the year, the pursuit of perfection, year after year, month after month, the meaning of love.

Valentine's Day chocolate is also indispensable. Since its birth, chocolate has been inextricably linked to love. People who love each other use sweet chocolate to express their love for their loved ones.

The United States in the 1980s, diamond dealers began to do jewelry for Valentine's Day promotional activities, making the type of Valentine's Day gift from the two categories of chocolate and flowers, and more jewelry jewelry this category.

Valentine's Day culture

The Valentine's Day dinner date often represents the key to the development of a couple's relationship.

Culture by country:

- United States: A man saying "Happy Valentine's Day" to his female friend on this day no longer has a special emotional relationship, but has evolved into a form of greeting in public. But men are less likely to say it to another man in public.

- England: Valentine's Day became common from the 17th century onwards.

- Japan: A woman sends chocolates to a man she likes, and the man returns the favor a month later on White Day, the result of a hype by Japanese businessmen in 1965.

- China: After the reform and opening up, with the development of commercial speculation, many young men and women also began to celebrate this holiday. Due to different interpretations of the word "lover" (in Chinese, "lover" sometimes includes "mistress", "lover", "lover", or "lover", i.e., legally married), it has become a common practice to celebrate this holiday. In Chinese, the word "lover" is sometimes used to mean "mistress", "lover", or "lover", i.e., a relationship between a man and a woman outside of a legal marriage, and has been the subject of much criticism. On the other hand, the festival has often been rejected and boycotted by conservatives due to the fear of the influx of Western traditions into the culture of China, which would dilute the celebrations of the traditional festivals. Until now, this time of year still has similar comments in the media.

- Hong Kong: Valentine's Day has been celebrated for many years under the long influence of Western culture. Men and women give each other gifts, and the standard gifts from men to women are usually flowers, chocolates, jewelry, etc., while those from women to men are usually watches, ties, and other men's clothing items, and often go to restaurants to enjoy candlelight dinners.

- Macau: On Valentine's Day, men give women flowers and women give men chocolates. Both men and women attach great importance to this holiday.

-Taiwan: This holiday is also celebrated in Taiwan, where young men and women who are not yet in a relationship often confess their love for their sweethearts, and couples go on dates on this day.

Various Valentine's Day

1, "Tanabata"

In China, the night of the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, the weather is warm, the grass and trees fragrant, which is commonly known as Tanabata, some people also call it "Begging for coincidence" or "Daughter's Day". It is also known as "Beggar's Day" or "Daughter's Day", and is also known as Chinese Valentine's Day because it is the day when the Cowherd and the Weaveress meet once a year. It is one of the most romantic of the traditional Chinese festivals and the most important day for girls in the past.

The origin of "Tanabata" festival

Tanabata, July 7, is the legendary day when the Cowherd and the Weaving Maiden met from the Magpie Bridge across the Heavenly River. People's heart of the Weaving Maiden is a hard-working, kind, clever heart of the sky fairy, so the night of July 7, young girls and young women have to come out to worship rituals, and to the Weaving Maiden begging for cleverness, hoping that they can also be like the Weaving Maiden has a pair of dexterous hands, has a clever heart, will lead a happy and fulfilling life.

2, Lantern Festival

Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month, also known as the Chinese Valentine's Day. It is also known as the Chinese Valentine's Day. This name has been around for a long time. Lantern Festival is also a romantic festival, in ancient times, the usual women, especially the great lady or a small family, are "three steps out of the door", only to the Lantern Festival, you can come out at night to watch the lanterns. Lantern Festival in the traditional feudal society, to the unmarried men and women to meet to provide an opportunity to Lantern Festival lanterns is just an opportunity for friendship, unmarried men and women to enjoy the lanterns can also be by the way to search for their own objects. During the Lantern Festival, it is the time for young men and women to meet their lovers. So the Lantern Festival is a festival that symbolizes love in folklore.

In Taiwan, there are unmarried women in the Lantern Festival night to steal picking onions or vegetables will be married to a good husband of the traditional custom, commonly known as: "Stealing pull onions, marrying a good inibs," "Stealing pulling vegetables, marrying a good son-in-law," hoping that the marriage of the girl to be successful in the night of the Lantern Festival to the vegetable gardens Stealing green onions or vegetables, looking forward to the future of family happiness, the lantern market in the Tang Dynasty also appeared in the music and dance performance, thousands of courtesans, folk girls singing and dancing under the lanterns, called singing, treading songs. Ouyang Xiu (Sheng Chazi) cloud: last year's New Year's Eve, the lights of the flower market like day; the moon on the top of the willow, people after dusk. Xin Qiji (The Case of the Green Jade) wrote: "I have searched for it for thousands of degrees, but when I look back at twilight, the person is at the end of the lights". This is a vivid representation of the ancient couple's New Year's Eve date. And the traditional opera Chen San and Wu Niang is in the Lantern Festival lanterns into the encounter and love at first sight, Lechang Gongwen and Xu Deyan in the Lantern Festival night mirror reunion, "Spring Lanterns Riddle" in Yuwen Yan and Shadow Niang in the Lantern Festival betrothed.