About the Qixi Festival
The Qixi Festival, also known as the Double Seventh Festival, Qiqiao Festival, or Qijie's Birthday, is a traditional Chinese festival with a history of thousands of years. On this day, women traditionally dressed up, prayed to the 'Seven Sisters' (Qijie), and performed rituals like threading needles under the moonlight to pray for dexterity, wisdom, and a happy marriage. The festival is rich in cultural significance, and this event aims to revive and promote these beautiful traditions and virtues.
Competition Schedule & Details (August 2, 2014)
All competitions take place at San Kio Garden (新橋花園仔).
Handicraft Competition
- Time: 15:00–16:30
- Activity: On-site creation of sachets, cosmetic bags, or coin purses.
- Rules: Participants choose one item from the three provided options. An instructor will provide on-site guidance. Judging is based on aesthetics. Basic materials (scissors, glue, needle & thread) are provided; participants may bring additional materials.
Origami Crane Competition
- Time Slots: 15:00 or 17:00 (participants can choose)
- Activity: Fold as many paper cranes as possible within an 8-minute time limit.
- Rules: Paper is provided by the organizer. The participant who folds the most cranes wins.
Threading the Needle Competition
- Time: 15:30
- Activity: A traditional 'Qiqiao' contest where participants thread a colored string through a series of nine needles (or five/seven needles) as quickly as possible.
- Rules: The first to successfully thread all needles wins.
Talent Competition
- Time: 19:30–20:30
- Activity: Free-form talent performance.
- Rules: Performance time limit is 5–10 minutes. Judged by a panel, with the highest score winning.
'Muxian Yang' (Sacrificial Sprouts) Competition
- Judging Date: August 2
- Activity: Growing and presenting sprouts used as an offering to Qijie.
- Rules: Organizers provide seeds and a pot. Participants grow sprouts for about 10 days until they reach approximately 2 inches. Sprouts are judged on uniformity of growth. Registration deadline for this competition is July 19.
Prizes
Each competition offers three cash prizes:
- 1st Place: MOP 500
- 2nd Place: MOP 300
- 3rd Place: MOP 200
Important Notes
- Each competition requires a minimum of 5 participants; otherwise, it may be canceled.
- The organizer reserves the right to amend event details.
- Participants must complete and submit the application form to the San Kio District Residents Mutual Aid Association. For inquiries, please call 2825 9897 / 2832 4622 or visit in person.
