The Qixi Festival is considered a love festival in Eastern culture, also known as the New Year of the Ox, the day of the Ox and the Ox, or the East Asian Valentine's Day in the West. The Qixi Festival is usually held on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month every year, originating from the story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl or the Ox and his wife with many different versions. Legend has it that the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl became husband and wife but were not allowed to be together, they were only allowed to meet once a year by the O Thuoc bridge on the Qixi Festival.
Since then, people have started to see the Qixi Festival as a Valentine's Day to pray for love. In recent years, this festival has received much attention and enthusiastic response from young people. Let's visit Asian countries with Travellive to see what dishes young people will choose to quickly "get rid of being single" on Qixi Festival.
Red bean dessert (Vietnam)
When searching for “what to eat on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month”, red bean sweet soup will be the first result displayed. The sweet taste of the sweet soup combined with the rich taste of red beans is definitely a dish not to be missed on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month. In addition to the usual preparation method, red bean sweet soup can also be combined with many other ingredients such as fresh milk, lotus seeds, rice vermicelli, grass jelly… to diversify the flavor. On the 7th day of the 7th lunar month every year, many sweet soup shops become popular and are often “out of stock” due to the attraction of red bean sweet soup.
In the ancient concept of the East, red beans are considered a symbol of luck due to their natural color, representing good luck and prosperity. Therefore, young people began to whisper to each other that if they eat red beans on the Qixi Festival, they will quickly find a lover or for those who are in love, their feelings will become closer and last a lifetime.
Young people whisper to each other that if they eat red beans on Qixi Festival, they will quickly find a lover, or for those who are in love, their love will become even closer and last a lifetime.
Xiaoguo Cake (China)
Xiaoguo cake is the most typical dish on Qixi Festival in China, not red beans as many people mistakenly think. This cake is made from ingredients including flour, sesame, sugar and honey, molded in a wooden mold and then baked. Xiaoguo cake has a crispy, sweet taste and a very fragrant smell.
In particular, the Xảo Quả cake also symbolizes a strong relationship. Some regions in China use red thread to string the Xảo Quả cake into bracelets and wear them around the necks of babies to pray for their safety. In addition, the Xảo Quả cake mold is also engraved with vivid patterns such as bats (homophone with the word "happiness"), fish (homophone with abundance), lotus seeds (homophone with many children and grandchildren)... In the past, Shanghai people passed down a custom that newly married women would bring Xảo Quả cakes to their husband's family, this dish is known as a very typical love-praying dish.
Xiaoguo cake is the most typical dish on Qixi Festival in China.
Somen noodles (Japan)
In Japan, the festival is usually celebrated from the evening of the 6th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar every year and ends on the 7th day of the 7th month. This day is also known as “Tanabata”.
In many regions of Japan, people have a tradition of eating somen on Tanabata Day because they believe that the long and thin noodles resemble the silk threads that Tanabata-tsume weaved while waiting to meet Hikoboshi again.
Another legend says that the origin of somen noodles on Qixi Festival comes from the rituals and customs of the Royal Family. Accordingly, the royal family had a ritual of using Sakubi - today's Somen noodles to ward off diseases as well as bring health and luck to the family members.
People have a tradition of eating somen on Qixi Festival because the long and thin noodles are believed to resemble the silk threads that Tanabata-tsume weaved while waiting to meet Hikoboshi again.
Steamed rice cakes (Korean)
The Korean Qixi Festival is often called Chilseok. Different from the meaning of Qixi Festival in China, Chilseok is held during the transition period when the hot weather passes and the rainy season comes. This is not just a holiday but also contains the wishes for prosperity and happiness of the people. People express their gratitude to heaven and earth through traditional dishes. The taste of wheat at this time is also at its best, so many dishes have been made from this ingredient.
Simply prepared from rice flour and red beans to retain the essence of the ingredients, steamed rice cakes have become one of the representative dishes of Korea. The color of red beans also symbolizes luck and abundance. Each flavor created during Chilseok makes us admire the richness and diversity of Korean culture.
Simply made from rice flour and red beans to retain the essence of the ingredients, steamed rice cakes have become one of the representative dishes of Korea.
