What to give during the Chinese Valentine’s Day in ancient times: A guide to romantic gifts spanning thousands of years
The Qixi Festival, also known as the Qiqiao Festival, is one of the most romantic festivals among traditional Chinese festivals. As modern people pay more and more attention to the return of traditional culture, many people have begun to wonder: What gifts did the ancients give to express their love during the Chinese Valentine's Day? This article will combine historical documents and folk custom research to reveal the secrets of the ancients’ gift-giving during the Chinese Valentine’s Day.
1. The core customs of the ancient Chinese Valentine’s Day
The Qixi Festival can be traced back to the Han Dynasty, when the main activity was women begging for tricks. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, Valentine's Day gradually evolved into a day for men and women to give tokens to each other. The following are the three most representative customs of ancient Chinese Valentine's Day:
| custom name | Popular period | Specific content |
|---|---|---|
| Threading a needle and begging for skill | Han and Tang Dynasties | Women compete in threading needles under the moon to pray for their dexterity |
| Worshiping Mahora | Song and Yuan Dynasties | Giving each other clay dolls symbolizes the crystallization of love |
| Seeking seeds from seeds | Ming and Qing Dynasties | Planting bean sprouts in a pot means giving birth to a child early. |
2. List of ancient Chinese Valentine’s Day gifts
According to records in ancient books such as "Tokyo Menghualu" and "Old Martial Arts", the gifts given to each other by the ancients on Chinese Valentine's Day include both practical utensils and symbolic tokens:
| gift type | specific items | Symbolic meaning | Related verses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewelry | Gold hairpin, jade hairpin, ear hairpin | token of love | "Why is it said to be diligent? It refers to a pair of silver." |
| Fabrics | sachet, ropa, concentric knot | lovesickness | "There are two pairs of silk in the middle, forming a concentric knot" |
| Study class | Poems, pen and ink, letters | Exchange of talents | "Who in the clouds sent me a brocade book?" |
| Food | Qiaoguo, flower melon, halva | sweet life | "July 7th Solar Eclipse Qiaoguo" |
3. The three most representative ancient Chinese Valentine’s Day rituals
1.concentric knot: A decorative knot made of colorful silk threads. It was first recorded in the Book of Songs. It became a token of love in the Han Dynasty and developed into exquisite gold and silver products in the Tang Dynasty.
2.Mahora: The most popular Chinese Valentine's Day gift in the Song Dynasty was a clay doll with half-arms and lotus leaves. The price ranged from dozens of coins to dozens of guan, and nobles would also decorate it with gold, silver and gems.
3.Qi Qiao Lou: In the Tang Dynasty, court ladies would give each other miniature pavilion models with built-in statues of the Weaver Girl for use when begging for tricks. Later, it evolved into a unique handicraft of the Chinese Valentine's Day.
4. Modern inspiration from ancient Chinese Valentine’s Day gifts
1.Emphasis on meaning rather than value: The ancients paid more attention to the symbolic meaning of gifts rather than their preciousness. An ordinary copper hairpin is a priceless treasure as long as it carries true feelings.
2.Handmade to show sincerity: Ancient women would sew sachets and weave concentric knots by themselves. This thoughtful approach is worth learning from modern people.
3.Cultural connotation is the most important: Chinese Valentine’s Day gifts should carry traditional Chinese cultural genes, such as Chinese calligraphy, traditional patterns and other elements.
5. Comparison table of ancient and modern Chinese Valentine’s Day gifts
| Contrast Dimensions | Ancient Chinese Valentine's Day gifts | Modern Chinese Valentine's Day gifts |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Mainly natural materials (silk, wood, mud) | Mainly industrial products (metal, plastic) |
| Production method | More than 80% are handmade | Factory mass production accounts for more than 90% |
| cultural symbols | Extensive use of traditional patterns and allusions | The proportion of Western elements is increasing year by year |
| emotional expression | implicit metaphor | straightforward and explicit |
The Qixi Festival carries the Chinese people's millennium sustenance for beautiful emotions. When we understand how ancient people conveyed their love through carefully prepared gifts, we may be able to provide new inspiration for modern people’s holiday celebrations. On this Chinese Valentine's Day, you might as well try to give a special gift that not only has traditional cultural heritage but also expresses your sincerity.
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