Since ancient times, the Qixi Festival has had the custom of praying for skills, so it is also called the "Praying Skills Festival". Does the Qixi Festival require worshiping the "Bed Mother"? Is the "Bed Mother" placed at the head of the bed? To learn more about the Qixi Festival, please visit Huayi Network.

Does the Qixi Festival require worshiping the Bed Mother?

There is a custom of worshipping the "Bed Mother" on the Qixi Festival. The "Bed Mother" is also known as the "Bed Head Grandma".
The "Bed Mother" is the guardian deity of children. It is said that July 7th is the birthday of the "Bed Mother", so families with children will worship the "Bed Mother" and place offerings near the bed where the child sleeps on the evening of the Qixi Festival. The offerings include oil rice, chicken wine (or sesame oil chicken), and other items. It is also necessary to burn "Four Directions Gold" and "Bed Mother's Clothes".
It should be noted that the time for worshipping the "Bed Mother" should not be too long, unlike regular worship which requires three rounds of pouring wine. After placing the offerings and lighting the incense, one can prepare to burn the "Four Directions Gold" and "Bed Mother's Clothes". Once these are burned, they can be removed.
Worshipping the "Bed Mother" on the Qixi Festival aims to wish the child to grow up quickly, but it should not be done for too long, otherwise the "Bed Mother" may become too indulgent, leading to the child developing a habit of staying in bed.

Is the Bed Head Grandma placed at the head of the bed?

The Bed Head Grandma does not need to be placed at the head of the bed; it is sufficient to worship her by the side of the bed, and the offerings can be removed after the worship.
Worshipping the "Bed Head Grandma" is usually done around 6 p.m. on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month (i.e., the Qixi Festival). The offerings are placed on or by the bed of a child under 16 years old. After lighting the incense and performing the worship, these items can be taken away.
The "Bed Head Grandma" is a term commonly used in the Chaoshan region, also known as the "Bed Foot Grandma" or "Grandparents". According to folk legends, July 7th is the birthday of the "Bed Head Grandma". In the Chaoshan area, worshipping the "Grandparents" on the Qixi Festival is very important, and it is customary to worship them more than ten times a year, but the seventh day of the seventh lunar month is the most important, especially for families with children.