The Eternal Sorrow of the Stars
Two Lovers Divided by the Celestial River
The heavens were silent.
On one side of the Celestial River, Zhinü (织女) sat alone, weaving endlessly. On the other, Niulang (牛郎) stood, watching her from across the vast expanse of stars.
Night after night, they reached toward one another—but the river never faded.
🔥 Altair and Vega, the two brightest stars, now burned with longing. 🔥
And below, the world wept with them.
The mortals, seeing their sorrow, prayed:
"Is there no way for love to triumph over fate?"
And the gods listened.
The Magpies’ Gift
The Birds That Defied the Heavens
As the seasons passed, the sky watched, unchanging.
But one night, beneath the seventh moon, a stirring filled the air.
The magpies (喜鹊)—creatures of loyalty and devotion—took flight.
Thousands rose from the earth, their wings shimmering like silver threads.
They soared toward the heavens, their cries echoing across the night.
And when they reached the Celestial River, they did not stop.
🌌 They gathered, forming a bridge of feathers, stretching from one shore to the other.
For the first time since the river was created, there was a path across.
The gods, seeing the magpies' devotion, made a decree—
🔥 "Once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month, you may meet again." 🔥
For one night only, love would overcome fate.
The Qixi Festival & The Lovers’ Reunion
A Night of Rain & Love
On the seventh night of the seventh moon, the lovers met.
✨ Niulang took Zhinü’s hands.
✨ Zhinü wept into his shoulder.
✨ The stars burned brighter than ever before.
The world below felt their joy, and on that night, the rain began to fall.
🌧️ It was not a storm, but their tears—falling to the earth in a lover’s embrace. 🌧️
From that day forward, the Qixi Festival (七夕节) was born.
Each year, lovers look to the sky, watching for Altair and Vega, waiting for the moment when—just for a night—
💫 The Celestial River fades…
💫 The magpies return…
💫 And love, even against fate, finds its way home.
—The End.