How to Make Chinese Valentine's Cards

Qi Qiao Jie (Chinese Vaentine's Day)

While Chinese Valentine's Day Qi Qiao Jie, is for lovers, the day is characterized by Chinese legend and culture. Celebrating on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the Chinese calendar (August), Chinese go to the temple of the Matchmaker to pray for romantic good fortune. It is not traditional to give Chinese Valentine's cards. But the practice has incorporated the Western use of cards, which are adorned with images and language that brings to mind traditional Qi Qiao Jie symbols.

Instructions

Making Chinese Valentine's Cards

1. 

   Make a Chinese Valentine's card that cites "Fairy of the Magpie Bridge." Immortalized by Chinese poet Qin Guan, this Song Dynasty (960 to 1279) poem symbolizes love that will never die. It is said that no magpies fly on Qi Qiao Jie. The birds all fly to the bridge where two legendary lovers met.

2. 

   Include an image of two lovers meeting on Magpie Bridge beneath grapevines. Write a few brief lines that imagine what the two Chinese lovers murmured to one another. Refer to your eternal joining in the heavens.

3. 

   Portray you and your love as the lovers Zhi Nu and Niu Lang. Add an adorned ox's horn to memorialize poor cowherd Niu Lang's only earthly possession.

4. 

   Give your love a card that displays two stars Alshain and Tarazed, who are the two lovers, together forever in the heavens. Include incense to bring to the Temple of the Matchmaker.

Resources

• Chinese Valentine's Day
• Free Chinese Valentine's Day Cards
• Fairy of the Magpie Bridge