Qixi Festival is a traditional festival in China with a history of over 2,000 years. Western countries also have a romantic festival for couples called Valentine’s Day. Both Qixi Festival and Valentine’s Day are about celebrating love, but they come from different cultures and have many unique features. Let’s take a closer look at their differences.
First, their cultural backgrounds are not the same. Qixi Festival has its roots in Chinese folklore (民间传说). It is mainly celebrated in East Asian countries such as China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Valentine’s Day, on the other hand, has Western origins. It is now widely celebrated all over the world.
Second, their origin stories are different too. Valentine’s Day honors St. Valentine. He secretly performed weddings for soldiers and was killed by a cruel ruler. Qixi Festival, however, comes from a famous Chinese folk tale about Niulang and Zhinü, two lovers who were separated by the Milky Way and could meet only once a year.
Third, they are celebrated on different types of dates. Qixi Festival falls on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, so its date changes every year according to the Chinese calendar. Valentine’s Day, however, is always on February 14th every year, no matter where you are in the world.
In summary, Qixi Festival and Valentine’s Day are both popular festivals that celebrate love, but they have clear differences. These differences show how love is celebrated in unique ways across different cultures.
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