A Variety of Food During the Qixi Festival—Fried Thin Pastry 七夕花样美食——巧果

农历七月初七，传说七夕是牛郎织女鹊桥相会的日子，这些年也逐渐转变成“中国情人节”。事实上，在古代，七夕节的内涵要广泛很多。七夕节俗称“女儿节”，在这天少女们会进行各种乞巧活动。因为织女是一个美丽聪明、心灵手巧的仙女，凡间的少女便在这天向她乞求智慧和巧艺，求赐美满姻缘，称为“乞巧”。
On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, legend has it that this day is the time when the Cowherd and the Weaving Maid meet on the Magpie Bridge, becoming known in recent years as, the “Chinese Valentine’s Day.” In ancient times, the meaning of Qixi Festival was multi-faceted. This festival known as the “Girls’ Day” is a day on which young girls participate in many activities begging for wisdom and skill. Because the Weaving Maid is a beautiful fairy maiden with ingenuity, mortal girls entreat her on this day for wisdom and skill and for a happy marriage. This is thus called qiqiao (begging for wisdom and skill).
中国传统节日大多有代表性食物，七夕的应节食品以巧果最为出名。“巧果”又名“乞巧果子”、“巧饼”，是用油、面、糖等做成的各种形状的小面点，香甜可口。通常，巧果上面有各种精美的吉祥图案花纹，十几个巧果用红线绳串起来，下头缀上一点彩色穗子，挂在墙壁间或者小孩的脖子上，作为装饰品或是零食。
Most of the traditional Chinese festivals also have typical foods. The most famous food typically eaten during the Qixi Festival is qiaoguo (fried thin pastry). The fried thin paste, also known as qiqiao guozi (fruit) or qiaobing (cake), is made using the main ingredients of oil, flour and sugar and is shaped into a variety of different pastries, very fragrant and sweet. Usually on top of the fried thin pastries, people make elegant auspicious patterns and decorative figures. Then a dozen or so pastries are strung together with a red cord and with some colorful tassels strung on the bottom. When finished, it is hung on the wall or around children’s necks as a decoration or snack food.