China Romance
All About China => Chinese Culture And Festivals => Topic started by: UK Mark on June 09, 2009, 06:59:02 pm
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These words will strike a cord with many of us here
Fairy Of The Magpie Bridge
Among the beautiful clouds,
Over the heavenly river,
Crosses the weaving maiden.
A night of rendezvous,
Across the autumn sky.
Surpasses joy on earth.
Moments of tender love and dream,
So sad to leave the magpie bridge.
Eternal love between us two,
Shall withstand the time apart.
On the evening of the seventh day of the seventh month on the Chinese lunar calendar, don't forget to look carefully at the summer sky. You'll find the Cowherd (a bright star in the constellation Aquila, west of the Milky Way) and the Weaving Maid (the star Vega, east of the Milky Way) appear closer together than at any other time of the year. Chinese believe the stars are lovers who are permitted to meet by the queen of Heaven once a year. That day falls on the double seventh (Qixi in Chinese), which is China's own Valentine's Day.
http://www.herongyang.com/chinese/festivals/chinese_valentine.html
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Thank you for that Mark. I will be in Zhongshan on the 18th of August. I chose that date because it's my sweetheart's birthday on the 26th. I had no idea it was Valentines day as well! :cool:
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Thanks to you Mark more brownie points as I told my Ying we would do something special on Valentines Day , she immediately thought of our western 2 / 14 / 2010 and I was able to correct her to her own day as we will be together from August 14 for a couple of weeks .
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Hope i told you guys right .. ive just seen another website saying Chinese Valentines day is Aug 26th .. Its all to do with the 7th day of the 7th lunar month
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Yes, i read that it was the 26th of the month also.
I'll be there with Ling so hope to pop the question on that day, schh don't tell anyone ;)
Anyone know how to say "will you marry me?" in Mandarin?
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nice one Ronan !
Chinese : ???????
Pinyin : jiàg?i w? ba, h?o ma?
Literal Meaning : Give to in marriage Me [suggesting particle], good [question particle]
Click on this link for a audio link so you can practice !
http://www.standardmandarin.com/chinesephrases/326/Will_You_Marry_Me
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nice one Ronan !
Chinese : ???????
Pinyin : jiàg?i w? ba, h?o ma?
Literal Meaning : Give to in marriage Me [suggesting particle], good [question particle]
Click on this link for a audio link so you can practice !
http://www.standardmandarin.com/chinesephrases/326/Will_You_Marry_Me
Thanks Mark!
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Hey Ronan!
How romantic will that be for you and Ling!?:heart: Romantic and lucky too! I think I read somewhere
that this is also called the Lucky 7's festival too, being the 7th Lumar month and the 7th day.
I look forward to hearing about your trip and adventures Ronan!:icon_cheesygrin:
Big Dave
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Haha ... knowing Irish ... a lot can happen in a month and a half . Don't ask why , just know ?
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Thanks David, Arnold don't even remind me of that!!, wish I was there right now!!
Its gonna be romantiic, its different this time, fingers and toes tightly crossed :heart::icon_cheesygrin:
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Arnold i just read your latest blog entry, you should put the link to that on here for other brothers to read.
It brought a tear to my eye, you are genuinely one of the good guys, I really enjoyed reading your blog. We are lucky to have you here buddy.
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Irish , in Germany we press our Thumb with the remaining four finger's , instead of crossing finger's . So this will bring you American and European luck . Add the luck of the Irish , how can you go wrong this time ? NO way !
I did ones , but nobody joined as follower's , so I took it back off . I'll try again under it's own Thread .
Thanks Irish , it is the least I can do for this poor Lady . My late Wife's clothes will go to a good cause and Nancy will be happy for me doing that , I'm sure .
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This date two months from now I'm hopefully getting engaged, am so pumped its unreal (just got of msn with Ling and am feeling good).
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Irish , so happy for you , that you found the " RIGHT " Ling this time . Anybody that serves you Mouse , I would worry about anyway's . Hahaha
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I asked my nupengyou when they celebrate Valentines Day. She says there are two. July 7th on the lunar calender, and the one we know on February 14th.
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OK seeing all these dates I did as search on it and it seems nobody knows? All different dates for this year, but 3 out of 10 said August 20, 2009 is the Chinese Valentines Day. Greg if she said the 7th month of the new year it's counted from February, their New Year.
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As you may or may not know, this August 26th (or July 7th on lunar calendar) is Chinese traditional Valentine's Day. It is a perfect time to send flowers and express your feelings to your loved ones in China. I usually use http://www.CNflowerNet.com (http://www.CNflowerNet.com) as they are affordable and have really good customer service. You can pay with Google CheckOut or PayPal here. I have also used http://www.chinaflower214.com (http://www.chinaflower214.com) and been very happy with their service as well!
You can read more about this festival at http://feisnik.blogspot.com/2009/08/qixi-festival.html (http://feisnik.blogspot.com/2009/08/qixi-festival.html)
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Thanks Nik ,
what's Fei's address ? :angel:
Thanks for reminding us of this day , will mark it down right now . Those dates are sure confusing :icon_confused:
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What's you opinions of the chnlove store?
I haven't yet requested an address for the lady I'm corresponding with although she has one available (& a phone number). It's certainly convenient but more expensive.
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What's you opinions of the chnlove store?
I haven't yet requested an address for the lady I'm corresponding with although she has one available (& a phone number). It's certainly convenient but more expensive.
My opinion? Expensive & limited, but some nice stuff, nonetheless.
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No problems with delivery, etc, that you know of?
Not that I have much choice at this point :-/
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Nik,
I need some advice. Luaping has been away for 3 weeks in the town she grew up in. She is attending to her mother in the hospital. Her translator only wants to communicate and these are her words, "This is my private email address. If you have any problem you can leave me the message on chnlove, then i can see and reply much sooner."
I am assuming she means EMF since I do not see a button that says talk with translator. Chnlove gave me the email address.
Luaping has a cell phone but it does not work in her home town outside of Changsha. I imagine her restaurant is shut down unless she is letting her employees run it while she is gone.
I would like to send her a gift for Chinese Valentines Day but I don't know how to get it to her or when she will be back. What is the proper thing to do? Should I send it to the translator and see if they can take it to her? Or should I ask the translator to keep it there and let the flowers die and when Luaping returns she can see I tried?
It would be much better if I were there and could take care of it myself.
Shaun
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An extract from my ladies letter today 22nd August...
"It will be the Chinese Valentines day next week, sweetheart, have you heard the story about " Niu lang " and " Zhi nu "? There were two person called Niu lang and Zhi nu in the ancient China. Zhi Nu was said to be the youngest of seven daughters of the Queen of Heaven. With her sisters, she worked hard to weave beautiful clouds in the sky, while Niu Lang was a poor orphan cowherd, driven out of his home by his elder brother and his cruel wife.Niu Lang lamented over his lonely and poor life with an old cow, his only friend and companion. The magical cow kindly told him of a way to find a beautiful and nice woman as his life companion.
Under the direction of the cow, Niu Lang went to the riverside on an evening, where the seven fairies slipped out of their heavenly palace to bathe. He took one of the beautiful silk dresses the fairies had left on the bank. When the fairies left the water, the youngest couldn't find her clothes and had to see her sisters fly back to heaven without her.
Then Niu Lang came out with the dress and asked the youngest fairy, Zhi Nu, to stay with him.
Several years passed on Earth, which were only a few days in heaven. Niu Lang and Zhi Nu lived happily together and had two children before the Queen of Heaven discovered Zhi Nu's absence.She was so annoyed she had Zhi Nu brought back to heaven. Seeing his beloved wife flying in the sky, Niu Lang was terrified. He caught sight of the cowhide hanging on a wall. The magical cow had told him before dying of old age: "Keep the cowhide for emergency use."
Putting the cowhide on, he went after his wife with his two children.With the help of the cowhide, Niu Lang was able to follow Zhi Nu into heaven. He was about to reach his wife when the Queen showed up and pulled off her hairpin to draw a line between the two. The line became the Silver River in heaven, or the Milky Way.
Zhi Nu went back to the heavenly workshop, going on weaving the clouds. But she was so sad, and missed her husband across the Silver River so much that the clouds she weaved seemed sad. Finally, the Queen showed a little mercy, allowing the couple to meet once every year on the Silver River. The date is Seventh July in Chinese luna calendar"
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Chinese : ???????
Pinyin : jiàg?i w? ba, h?o ma?
I'd have to ask this in writing. I think even if I wanted to ask my throat and mouth would dry up and I wouldn't be able to say a word *laughs*
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Danny, good luck with her answer, I hope she says yes to you.
Good luck and best wishes in this.