Another late post….
This year, 七夕情人节 or Chinese Valentine day fall in 20 August 2015. Every year my family will celebrate at home by praying to sky during night time with some offering such as fruits, flowers, oil, candies, etc.
But this year is my first time come to visit the shrine. I quite surprised because there was Seven Goddess shrine in Medan, one of the bustling and traffic city in Indonesia. I like the shrine because there are so many colorful flowers and also fish ponds. Inside has lots of goddess statues such as the Qi Sheng Niang Niang (seven goddess), Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, etc.
To be honest, I am not very good when comes about Chinese-praying tradition. Mostly, I just followed my mom. Perhaps, you ever heard story about The weaver girl and the cowherd, the tale between Zhi Nv (Vega) and Niu Lang (Altair). So, Qi Xi Festival is based on those mythology.
Unique…
When I came to the shrine most of the visitors were young ladies or pregnant women. Men were very few, perhaps could be counted by fingers.
I was confused when I was at shrine, I asked mom how to pray. Guess, mom said to me most of people who came to pray at Seventh Goddess shrine are asking for finding true love (for the singles), Long lasting relationship (marriage couples or in relationship couples), having boy baby or smooth labor process (for pregnant women).
The Shrine not as big temple or other shrine I ever visited but cozy and give peaceful vibes. I like being there even lots of incest burned as praying offer. there also have fish ponds and colorful flower outside the shrine.
azurro4cielo 