TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Qixi Festival (七夕節), or Lunar Valentine's Day, is on Saturday (Aug. 14) in many parts of East Asia, and like other festivals in Taiwan, there are traditions that must be followed to ensure romantic success.
Qixi is also called "Double Seventh" because it falls on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. Originally a celebration of the annual reunion of the mythical cowherd and weaver girl, it was traditionally not an occasion for the exchange of gifts but has in recent years become commercialized, with lists of the five best and five worst gift ideas surfacing online.
Like many other festivals in Taiwan, there are several superstitions associated with Qixi that people observe in order to ensure success in romantic relationships. This is because Qixi is not only the day that the cowherd and weaver girl meet, but it also marks the birthdays of the Seven Star Goddess (七娘母) and Bed Goddess (床母).
Well-known Taiwanese numerologist Eiffel (艾菲爾), who runs the Facebook page "Tarot Teacher Eiffel" (塔羅牌老師艾菲爾), on Friday (Aug. 13) posted the following eight do's and don'ts for the Qixi Festival:
Do's
1. Go on blind dates often
Blind dates are occasions that bring "pink love energy," which can help improve one's luck with romance.
2. Attend more wedding banquets
There is no shortage of single friends at wedding banquets. You can ask the newlyweds for an introduction.
3. Place wedding invitations in auspicious locations
Wedding invitations received after Lichun (立春), the first day of spring on the lunar calendar, represent good news and luck and will have the effect of improving one's own luck and attractiveness. It is recommended that such invitations be placed under a mattress, in a handbag, under a desk mat, or under a desk lamp to promote a whole year of romance and possible marriage.
If it is a digital invitation, use a screenshot as a background in online chats.
4. Place pink crystal jewelry
Place pink crystal jewelry on a dressing table or in a southerly direction. It can also be placed in seven-star, peach blossom, or lotus patterns.
5. Red carpet layout
Place red carpets on the floor on both sides of the bed. This is a good omen for being on the red carpet yourself at a wedding.
6. Charm for god of matchmaking
Hang a charm for Yue Lao (月老), the god of marriage and love, at the head of the bed. This will increase one's peach blossom (romance) aura and will enable one to directly ask for the matchmaking god's help in meeting Mr. or Ms. Right.
Dont's
The following don'ts are folk superstitions that do not necessarily pertain to modern society:
1. Don't accompany someone to spy on a cheating spouse
In the Year of the Ox, the Peach Blossom Star (桃花星) is located in the south and governs likability and attractiveness. The magnetic field around a person spying on their cheating spouse can have a negative impact on one's own peach blossom energy.
2. Don't raise the children of relatives
Adopting or raising children who are are blood relatives can easily block one's own likelihood of having children. If loved ones need help, then provide them with the necessary supplies. Conversely, raising orphans who are not relatives can bring luck.
