CUSTOMARILY, there were exercises on Qixi that are different from those in today’s commercial world. Here are some mainstream ones: Appreciate moon and stars On that night, young ladies would wear new garments and appreciate the moon, as in old Chinese ideas the moon was the promising sign for ladies. They would watch the Vega and Altair getting together, representing the gathering of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. Pray for skillful hands Ladies in old China would pray to the Weaver Girl for capable hands on the night of Qixi. In certain territories, they additionally petitioned God for blessings like knowledge and happy marriage. Eat qiaoguo Qiaoguo, a kind of baked pastry, is the traditional food dedicated to the festival. Qiaoguo has different shapes and recipes in different parts of the country. The Shandong style, for example, features small cakes in the shapes of animals or blossoms. Express love at Qixi QIXI Festival is the lovey-dovey time of the year to express your love. Besides treating your loved one to a nice meal or to a trendy gift, it is also warm to express your feelings and affection through words. Luckily, there are plenty of classic love poems throughout Chinese history for you to quote. For example: 愿作鴛鴦不羨仙 yuàn zuò yuānyāng bù xiàn xiān We don’t need to envy the gods if we can be like mandarin ducks. 愿得一人心，白首不相離 yuàn dé yī rén xīn, bái shǒu bù xiāng lí Wish to find the true love of my life who I would never leave until the end of time. (SD-Agencies) | 