Chinese Valentine’s Day Gifts - 5 Secret Gifts in Ancient Time
Best Chinese Valentine’s Day Gifts for Girlfriend / Wife:
Best Chinese Valentine’s Day Gifts for Boyfriend / Husband:
There are many choices for Chinese Valentine’s Day gifts. The most important thing is to find inspiration from the lover’s life, and then send them a gift according to their desire.
What gifts did ancient people give on Qixi Festival?
In ancient China, there were 5 secret Chinese Valentine’s Day gifts. These 5 items may be rare and novel in present times but during ancient times they represented tokens of love as well as the different cultural connotations associated with the items themselves.
1. Rhinoceros Horn
This is a traditional Qixi Festival gift of the people in Shuidonggou, Ningxia. On this day, if the man liked a woman he gave her a copper coin to express his love. If the woman accepted the man’s offer, she would give him a rhinoceros horn as a token of love in return.
2. Tongguan Grass
The Tongguan Grass plant has been recorded in history books and yet has not been given a definitive definition. Some suggest the plant has even become extinct given that experts are still looking for it. According to records, the grass became a brighter red as it grew. Traditionally, the man made a ring from the grass and sent it to the woman as a gift. Once the woman took the ring, her heart was considered to belong to that man.
3. Wolf Tooth
Wolf teeth is exclusive of the grassland people, usually worn by men to symbolize courage and strength. In ancient times, wolf teeth could also become a token of love for both men and women. Nomadic tribes in the grassland areas were known for regarding the wolf in high esteem and wolf worship was common as seen by wolf totems. Given the prestige associated with the Wolf, presenting wolf teeth to the beloved woman was a sign the man was particularly interested in her.
4. Seashell
Seashells were the exclusive Qixi Festival gifts in ancient time in Turpan, Xinjiang. Because Turpan is located inland, the seashell was a very precious object that was even used as currency. Offering seashells to the woman therefore was similar to giving the deposit of marriage. By wearing the seashells, the woman displayed her married status.
5. Hair
Under the constraints of feudal ethics in ancient times, women were not permitted to leave the house freely except on the Qixi Festival. The woman would cut a lock of her hair then wrap it in red cloth and give it to her beloved man to express her love. Ancient people traditionally viewed their bodies as given by parents and so could not damage it. Since the hair was cherished and well protected it was deemed a genuine expression of love when presented to another.
On Chinese Valentine’s Day, the ancient Chinese expressed their love and interest in many ways, with gifts such as combs, fans, red beans, hairpins, jade pendants, etc.