What is the custom of "Worshipping the Seven Sisters"?
The Qixi Festival is also called the "Festival of the Seven Sisters." In fact, the Seven Sisters refer to Zhinü (the Weaver Girl), and worshipping the Seven Sisters is equivalent to worshipping Zhinü.In some regions, Zhinü is referred to as the "Seventh Sister," such as in Guangdong. According to legend, Zhinü was the youngest of the Seven Fairies, hence she is called the "Seventh Sister" or "Seventh Mother." Worshipping the Seventh Sister is similar to worshipping Zhinü, and both are customs related to the Qixi Festival's "乞巧" (begging for skill).
"Worshipping the Seventh Sister" refers to the "Qiqiao Festival" on the seventh night of the seventh lunar month. In Guangdong, it is commonly known as "Worshipping the Seventh Sister." Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, "Qixi" was a grand festival for young women. In old times, young women would "beg for skill" from the Seventh Sister, hoping she would teach them the art of being skilled and delicate. The Song Dynasty poet Liu Kezhuang once wrote a poem: "瓜果跽拳祝，喉罗朴卖声。粤人重巧夕，灯光到天明。" (The fruits and vegetables are arranged in a row, begging for skill; the sound of selling goods echoes through the streets. The people of Guangdong value this skillful night, with lights shining all through the night.) In Dongguan, the traditional ceremony of worshipping the Seventh Sister includes offering gifts, washing hands, burning incense, and making offerings. In areas such as southern Fujian, Wenzhou in Zhejiang, and Taiwan, the Qixi Festival is also known as "Worshipping the Seventh Mother." The Seventh Mother is considered an incarnation of the Weaver Star. "Worshipping the Seventh Sister" means inviting the Seven Fairies to descend from heaven to spend the Qixi Festival with humans.
The Symbolism of Dyeing Fingernails on Qixi Festival
Dyeing fingernails is a Qixi Festival custom in the southwest region of China.In many areas of the southwest, young girls like to use the sap of trees mixed with water to wash their hair on the Qixi Festival. This not only helps them look younger and more beautiful but is also believed to help unmarried women find a suitable husband faster. In addition, girls also use the hibiscus flower (also known as the nail flower) to dye their nails, mainly for the purpose of dressing up and looking more beautiful.
The hibiscus flower is also called the "nail flower." It is said that dyeing fingernails with flowers during the Qixi Festival is to commemorate the beautiful lady Yu Ji. According to legend, Yu Ji was a woman of extraordinary beauty, capable of singing and dancing, with great talent and deep loyalty. She followed Xiang Yu until her death. Therefore, she has been a legendary figure that women have always admired. Since the Qixi Festival is also a festival associated with love, young women wanted to commemorate and praise her loyal and unwavering love, and to pray that they could possess the beauty and talents of Yu Ji. Thus, they dyed their fingernails on the Qixi Festival.
In addition to the southwest region, this custom is also found in many county records in Sichuan Province, as well as in Guizhou and Guangdong. Dyeing fingernails with flowers is a common hobby among women and children during festivals, and it is closely related to fertility beliefs.
However, since the hibiscus flower is toxic, it is no longer recommended to use it for dyeing fingernails. It is advisable to choose red peony flowers instead. Not only do they have bright and beautiful colors, but they also carry the beautiful meaning of eternal love.
