In preparing my Valentine's Day themed title, (View it here), I searched and plundered google for how to say Happy Valentine's Day in Japanese because the picture I use for my title, The Great Wave Off of Kanagawa,
is taken from one of the prints from the 24(36) Views of My Fuji by Hokusai and I wanted to try to integrate a Valentine's Day part of their culture into my my title or at least to change the Japanese characters on the right side of the print to say Happy Valentine's Day in Japanese. Anyway, while searching and searching, did I mention that I was searching?... I happened to come across a great story of Qi Qiao Jie. This story is not Japanese but Chinese, go figure, but at least from Google I easily found out how to say Happy Valentine's Day in Chinese.
So Happy Qi Qiao Jie. Well. . . actually that won't be for a few more months because it is not Valentine's Day (February 14th). Qi Qiao Jie is another day of love very similiar to the idea behind Valentine's Day. This Chinese holiday falls on the seventh day of the lunar month seven on the Chinese calendar and thus its meaning, The Night of Sevens. Okay enough already and on with the story. There are actually quite a few different versions, one of my favorites is this one.
It is said that the seven daughters of the Goddess of Heaven, on one of their visits to earth, caught the eye of a Cowherd, Niu Lang. As the daughters were bathing in a river they were observed by the Cowherder who decided to have a bit of fun by running off with their clothing. To get their clothing back, the sisters decided that the prettiest daughter, Zhi Nu (the seventh daughter), would ask the Cowherd to return their clothes.
Of course, since Niu Lang had seen the daughter, Zhi Nu, naked, they had to be married. The couple lived happily for several years. Eventually however, the Goddess of Heaven became fed up with her daughter's absence, and ordered her to return to heaven. However, the mother took pity on the couple and allowed them to be reunited once a year. Legend has it that on the seventh night of the seventh moon, magpies form a bridge with their wings for Zhi Nu to cross to meet her husband.
In another story, Niu Lang and Zhi Nu were fairies living on opposite sides of the Milky Way. Feeling sorry for the two lonely sprites, the Jade Emperor of Heaven actively tried to bring them together. Unfortunately, he succeeded too well - Niu Lang and Zhi Nu became so enraptured with each other that they neglected their work. Annoyed, the Jade Emperor decreed that from that point on, the couple could only meet once a year - on the seventh night of the seventh moon.
Today, star gazers celebrate Qi Qiao Jie by gazing up at the star Vega, east of the Milky Way which represents Zhi Nu, and at the constellation Aquila, on the west side of the Milky Way, where Niu Lang waits for his lover to join him.
Happy Valentine's Day all
(Love), Steve
5 comments:
I know how to say "Excuse me, may I ask?" in Mandarin. Marvel at my language mastery.d
since Valentine was the name of a saint, wouldn't the Japanese way of saying it when spelled in our Alphabet have Valentine somewhere in there?
You have very artistic design and title. I am Japanese student in USA and in our culture we don't have a common phrase to your culture of Valentine Day but for sayings like Merry Christmas we use the
English word with Japanese pronunciation Merii Kurisumasu and since it is English it is written in katakana.
To say Happy as a holiday like Happy Birthday use omedetou. for Happy Valentine Day you might say Valintin
Omedetou. In all saying of English you would use katakana. I hope to bring much knowledge to you.
i'm always glad to read a story. Especially when it is trying to explain the existnece of something. By the way your graphic turned out pretty cool.
I think the Chinese script is so artistic. And your stories were very interesting & educational! Happy Valentine's Day to you, Steve!
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