This is a tale responsible for the
holiday called
Qi Qiao Jie, the native
Chinese version of
Valentine's Day. Called
Tanabata in
Japan. Naturally, there are countless versions of this story in
Chinese mythology alone. Here is one:
Zhi-Nu was the seventh
daughter of the
Emperor of Heaven, and she was the celestial weaver of the gods' heavenly robes. One day, while visiting the earth, she met and fell in love with
Niu Lang, a cowherd. After their marriage, however, Zhi-Nu's absence was discovered by her mother, the
Queen of Heaven. Zhi-Nu was ordered to return to her celestial home, but Niu Lang followed her. The Emperor threw a river between them, but out of pity for (heh)
star-crossed lovers, the Goddess of Heaven allowed them to meet once a year. So, on the seventh night of the seven moon,
magpies form a bridge for the two to meet. This bridge crosses the
Silver River or
Milky Way. Niu Lang is the star
Lyra or
Altair, and Zhi-Nu is the star
Aquila or
Vega, while the bridge is
Cygnus.
Although the holiday has waned in popularity, the story is still well-known. It's referenced in the
Faye Wong song, "
Falling Star."