Story #3: [Perseverance] The Cowherd and Fairy Princess

Each time I write one of these stories on this blog, I feel as if I am revealing a part of my soul for the world to see. Maybe it’s because these stories form the basis of the core values and beliefs that I have always kept, held onto, and hidden deep in my heart.

Today I want to share a love story that I inherited from my own Chinese background: the romantic tale of a lowly cowherd and his love for a fairy of the skies. This is an ancient folklore legend from over a thousand years ago which is still celebrated today on the 7 July of lunar calendar as the Chinese version of Valentine’s Day (七夕). This is a story about the strength of true love and how it can overcome all obstacles on heaven and earth.

According to folklore, there were seven girl fairies of the skies. Each fairy serves as the patron goddess of a feminine art or craft. Legend has it that the seventh fairy was the kindest and prettiest of all the fairies and was the goddess of weaving crafts.

The story begins with the seventh fairy who decided to disguise herself to spend some time on earth to learn more about mankind and human nature. While on her wanders, she fell in love with a kind-hearted cowherd. Unwilling to leave him, the seventh fairy gave up her magical powers and became his wife. She used her weaving skills to produce cloth while he toiled at the farm for food. (By the way, this is the first folktale which specified the traditional role of females and males in Chinese culture i.e. 男耕女织.)

But all good things come to an end. The god of the skies was furious that the seventh fairy had fallen in love with a mere mortal. He commanded her to return to the skies and forbid the lovers to see each other again for eternity.

Taking pity on their plight, magpie birds resolved to form a bridge between heaven and earth so that the lovers may see each other again for one day each year. This is the 7 July of the lunar calendar.

The famous poem that commemorates their eternal love:

鵲橋仙
纖雲弄巧，飛星傳恨，銀漢迢迢暗度。金風玉露一相逢，便勝卻人間無數。柔情似水，佳期如夢，忍顧鵲橋歸路。兩情若是久長時，又豈在朝朝暮暮。