Trend Tracker: Foodie Frenzy for Qixi Festival

Today is the Qixi Festival, and in this Chinese Traditional Festival Food Challenge, let's explore what to eat on this romantic festival in just one minute!

Falling on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the Qixi Festival—also known as the Qiqiao Festival or Girls' Festival—is considered the most romantic of China's traditional celebrations.

Originating from the worship of celestial phenomena, the festival evolved as people personified the stars Vega and Altair, linking them to the ancient farming and weaving traditions of men plowing and women weaving. Over time, the legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl took shape, and Qixi gradually developed into a festival rich in customs and meaning.

So, what foods are worthy of such a day full of ritual and romance?

The most iconic festive treat is qiaoguo, a crispy, sweet pastry, usually deep-fried, that symbolizes skill and ingenuity. Other festive foods include crispy sugar snacks and fresh fruits. In some places, there is also the custom of eating "five seeds" (longan, red dates, hazelnuts, peanuts, and melon seeds), which expresses wishes for fertility.

Today, more and more young people choose to celebrate Qixi with dates, gift-giving, and special meals. Whether it's the traditional qiaoguo, a modern sweet cake, or a romantic dinner, all convey love and affection.

In 2006, the Qixi Festival was inscribed on China's first national list of intangible cultural heritage. For more than 2,000 years, it has evolved from a star-gazing legend into a celebration of love, traveling from China to the world and becoming a cultural symbol with international appeal.

In Japan, people write their wishes on colorful strips of paper, hang them on bamboo branches, and float them down rivers the next day along with lanterns—symbolizing their wishes reaching the Milky Way.

In South Korea, young women place fruits on tables in prayer, hoping the Weaver Girl will bless them with greater skill and ingenuity.

On this Qixi night, let us look to the magpie bridge in the stars, and share the warmth of good food and human connection. Happy Qixi to all—may love endure. See you at the next festival!