Long ago, in the quiet countryside of ancient China, there lived a gentle young man named Niulang. Orphaned at a young age, he owned little more than an old ox and a small plot of land. Yet his heart was pure, and his kindness shone brighter than any gold. Each morning he led his faithful ox to graze on the green hills, and each evening he returned home to rest under the starry sky.
Unknown to Niulang, his old ox was no ordinary animal. Once a celestial ox in the Heavenly Palace, it had been sent to earth as punishment for disobedience. The ox loved Niulang deeply for his care and compassion. One day, sensing his master’s loneliness, the ox spoke in a calm, deep voice.
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“Niulang,” it said, “I know of a way for you to find true happiness. Tomorrow, go to the river that lies beyond the forest. There, you will see seven maidens from Heaven come down to bathe. They are the daughters of the Queen Mother of Heaven. One among them is Zhinü, the Weaver Girl, who weaves the clouds into rainbows. Take her heavenly robe while they bathe, and she will not be able to return to Heaven. When she sees your pure heart, she will become your wife.”
Niulang was astonished by the ox’s words, yet he trusted his loyal friend. The next day, he followed the ox’s advice. Hidden behind a willow tree by the shimmering river, he saw seven radiant maidens descend from the sky, their laughter as light as the wind. They laid their silk robes on the riverbank and stepped gracefully into the water. Among them, one shone brighter than the rest Zhinü, the Weaver Girl.
Niulang took her robe quietly. When the maidens finished bathing and began to put on their robes, Zhinü found hers missing. Her sisters rose to the clouds, leaving her behind. At that moment, Niulang stepped forward, his face kind and humble.
“Please, do not be afraid,” he said gently. “I will return your robe if you will stay with me.”
Zhinü saw the sincerity in his eyes and felt a warmth she had never known in Heaven. She agreed to stay, and in time, they fell deeply in love. They married and built a modest home by the river. Zhinü wove beautiful silken cloth to sell at the market, while Niulang tended the fields and cared for their ox. Together they lived peacefully and were blessed with two children, a boy and a girl.
Years passed, and their happiness grew like spring flowers. Yet in the Heavens, the Queen Mother discovered that her daughter had married a mortal. Enraged, she ordered soldiers of Heaven to bring Zhinü back. One afternoon, as Zhinü was spinning thread, dark clouds gathered. A celestial wind swept down from the sky, and heavenly soldiers carried her away as her children cried.
When Niulang returned home and found his wife gone, his heart broke. His old ox spoke again. “Master, my time on earth is nearly over. Take my hide when I die. It will allow you to fly to Heaven and find Zhinü.” With tears in his eyes, Niulang promised to do so.
After the ox passed away, Niulang placed its hide over his shoulders, carried his children in baskets on a pole, and rose into the sky. He flew swiftly, guided by love, until he saw Zhinü again. Just as he was about to reach her, the Queen Mother of Heaven struck her golden hairpin across the sky, creating a river of stars that divided them. That river became the Milky Way.
Zhinü and Niulang wept from opposite sides of the shining river. Their cries touched the hearts of all beings in Heaven and on earth. The magpies, moved by their love, flew up and formed a living bridge across the Milky Way, allowing the couple to meet. The Queen Mother, seeing their devotion, softened her heart. She decreed that Niulang and Zhinü could meet once each year, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.
Since that day, their reunion has been celebrated as the Qixi Festival, the Festival of Love. On that night, if you look up to the summer sky, you can see two stars shining across the Milky Way Niulang and Zhinü together once more through the bridge of magpies.
Their story reminds us that love, when true and faithful, can endure even the vast distance between heaven and earth.
Moral Lesson
True love knows no boundaries of time, place, or power. It teaches that devotion and sincerity can bridge even the widest divide.
Knowledge Check
1. Who are the main characters in The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl?
Niulang, a mortal cowherd, and Zhinü, a celestial weaver girl.
2. What role does the ox play in the story?
The ox guides Niulang to find happiness and later helps him reach Heaven.
3. What causes the separation between Niulang and Zhinü?
The Queen Mother of Heaven creates the Milky Way to divide them.
4. How are Niulang and Zhinü allowed to meet again?
Magpies form a bridge across the Milky Way once a year during the Qixi Festival.
5. What is the cultural significance of this story in China?
It explains the origin of the Qixi Festival, known as the Chinese Valentine’s Day.
6. What moral value does the story teach?
It emphasizes love, faithfulness, and perseverance despite challenges.
Source:
Adapted from the traditional Chinese folktale “Niulang and Zhinü”, recorded in Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian) by Sima Qian, and later popularized in Fengshen Yanyi (Investiture of the Gods).
Cultural Origin: China (Han Chinese folklore)
