Based on the legend of
牛郎织女 (the Cowherd and Weaver Girl), separated lovers allowed to meet once a year on a bridge of magpies across the Milky Way. Originally a day for girls to pray for sewing and weaving skills (
乞巧节); rebranded as 'Chinese Valentine's Day' by retailers in the 2000s alongside the Western 2
月14
日 Valentine's Day.
