View of LoveValentine’s Day in east

and westTang Lai Yi(07011806)

Chow Hong Ting (06017258)

Content• Origin • Traditional meaning• Customs• Cultural differences• Valentine’s Day in

modern times• Video sharing• Reference

Tang Lai Yi (07011806)

Origin

• During the 3rd century, Emperor Claudius II decided to outlaw marriage

• A priest called “St Valentine” persisted to perform marriage

• Finally, he was put to death

Tang Lai Yi (07011806)

Origin• A cowherd, Niulang (牛郎 ) fell in love with

Zhinu (織女 ), the most beautiful fairy and a skilled seamstress.

• They got married. Marriage between a mortal and fairy was strictly forbidden in the eyes of the Jade Emperor (玉帝 ), Milky Way separated husband from wife.

• A bridge formed by magpies across the Milky Way which allowed them to meet once a year on the seventh night of the seventh month.

Tang Lai Yi (07011806)

Traditional meaning

Valentine’s Day

• Memorized the priest “St Valentine” .

Qixi

• Not only a special day for lovers, but also for girls.

• Girls would conduct a ceremony to beg Zhinu for wisdom, dexterity and a satisfying marriage in the future.

Tang Lai Yi (07011806)

CustomsValentine’s Day

• Young Romans offered handwritten greetings of affection, known as Valentines, on this day to the women they admired.

Qixi

• Young women used to weave small handicrafts with colored paper, grass and thread.

• 7 close friends would gather to make dumplings. They put into three separate dumplings a needle, a copper coin and a red date.

Tang Lai Yi (07011806)

Cultural DifferencesValentine’s Day Qixi

Target •Lovers (individuals)

•Not only lovers, but also friends or family gatherings (groups)

Importance

•Love is of high importance

•Career is much more important•Women were regarded as hampers

Romantic element

•A lot (emotional) •Lack (rational)

Way to express

•Directly •Indirectly

Chow Hong Ting (06017258)

Nowadays, what do you expect from your lovers on

Valentine’s Day?

Chow Hong Ting (06017258)

Valentine’s Day in modern times

Commercialization • Both in east and west, the nature of

Valentine’ s Day has lost.

• The festival becomes the occasion for merchants to make profits.

• The celebration of the festival is materialized. e.g. diamonds, rose, chocolate.

Chow Hong Ting (06017258)

Valentine’s Day in modern times

Commercialization

Chow Hong Ting (06017258)

Valentine’s Day in modern times

Westernization• Qixi is no longer or less celebrated

by Chinese as the Lunar calendar is hard to be aware by young generation.

• Qixi does not have any commercial selling point in the market. It lacks outstanding images.

• Culture Imperialism Chow Hong Ting (06017258)

Valentine’s Day in modern times

Westernization

Chow Hong Ting (06017258)

Valentine’s Day in modern times

Qixi in Japan

Chow Hong Ting (06017258)

Video sharing

•七夕情人節~ 愛讓世界美好 ( 上書房 ) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v

=Hx0FZ9rlczE

• A Special Valentine's Day Gift...from Cisco!

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pffeMdDSoY

Reference

• http://www.history.com/content/valentine/history-of-valentine-s-day

• http://www.theholidayspot.com/valentine/around_the_world.htm

• http://www.theholidayspot.com/valentine/history_of_valentine.htm

• http://www.pictureframes.co.uk/Saint-Valentine.aspx

• http://www.china.org.cn/english/culture/137956.htm

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