The first Lijiang (Suhe) Chinese Valentine's Day will be
celebrated twice this year on July 31 and August 30 in the small
town of Suhe near Lijiang in Southwest China's Yunnan Province.
Both dates are the seventh day of the seventh lunar month called
"Qixi" in Chinese because this year there is a "leap month" on the
Chinese lunar calendar.
This will be the 12th time in the past 2,000 years that Chinese
people celebrate two "Qixi" in a year, according to the festival's
organization committee.
"Qixi" is regarded as the Chinese Valentine's Day because
legends say the Cowherd (Niu Lang) and the Weaver Maid (Zhi Nu)
separated by jealous deities could meet on that night via a bridge
formed by magpies.
On the festival's opening ceremony on the night of July 31,
tourists will be invited to join local folk singers in a singing
contest of love songs at the central square of Suhe, a newly
developed tourist attraction that features traditional Naxi wooden
houses in courtyards.
Tourists can get a "Love Passport" for 50 yuan (US$6.20) each at
the town and search for nine "Love Castles" featuring different
themes.
The passports in seven different colors represent couples,
families, singles and other identities. The passports can provide
discounts at Suhe's restaurants, bars and stores.
Romantic couples can also arrange for wedding photo sessions at
Suhe, featuring the local Naxi, Tibet, Yi, Bai and many other
minority traditional costumes.
The Naxi Dongba shamans will also chant scriptures and perform
other rituals for visitors' weddings.
Yang Yiben, vice-mayor of Lijiang, said when the local
government prepared the festival earlier this year, they discovered
there will be two "Qixi" this year.
"This is a romantic coincidence," said Yang at a ceremony to
sign a co-operation contract with the China Travel Service Head
Office this February.
"We hope that the Chinese Valentine's Day will gain more
attention and that all the betrothed in the world will be happy
forever," said Yang.
Mo Yueming, president of China Travel Service, one of the
leading tourist agencies in China, pointed out that "Qixi" embeds
the Oriental classic romance, which has gained increasing attention
in the past few years.
"Lijiang has a quiet and peaceful environment, colorful ethnic
cultures and highly developed tourist facilities," said Mo, adding
that his company will co-operate with the Lijiang government on
every "Qixi" from now on.
(China Daily July 24, 2006)
