Qi Xi

The story of Cowherd and Weaver Girl

A young cowherd named Niulang (In chinese: 牛郎; pin yin: niú láng; literally "the cowherd") happens across seven fairy sisters bathing in a lake. Encouraged by his playful friend the ox, he steals their clothes and waits to see what will happen. The fairy sisters choose the youngest and most beautiful sister Zhinü (In chinese: 织女; pin yin: zhī nǚ) to bring back their clothing. She does so, but since Niulang has seen her naked, she must agree to his request for marriage. She proves to be a wonderful wife, and Niulang a good husband. They lived happily and had two children. But the Goddess of Heaven finds out that a mortal has married one of the fairy girls. Down on Earth, Niulang is very upset that his wife is gone. Suddenly, his cow begins to talk telling him that if he kills him and puts on his hide, he will be able to go up to Heaven to find his wife. With tears flowing, he killed the cow, put on the skin and carrying his two children with him and off he went to Heaven to find Zhinü. The Goddess found out he had come and was very angry. Taking out her hairpin, the Goddess scratches a wide river in the sky to separate the two lovers forever.

Zhinü must sit forever on one side of the river, sadly weaving on her loom, while Niulang watches her from a far place and takes care of their two children.

But once a year all the magpies in the world take pity on them and fly up into heaven to form a bridge (鵲橋, "the bridge of magpies", Que Qiao) so the lovers may be together for a single night, the seventh night of the seventh moon.

It is said that if it rains on the night of Qi Xi, they are the tears of Niulang and Zhinü crying at the misery of their life.