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(Source: Sonofchina.com) We typically know Valentine's Day to be on February 14th, but did you know in Chinese culture, Chinese Valentine's Day, also known as QIXI (七夕), is on the 7th day of the 7th month of every lunar year. The festival is based on a romantic legend about Niu Lang and Zhi Nü. According to Chinese myth, seven goddesses who lived in heaven secretly ventured to the mortal world one night to do some exploring. When Niu Lang, spotted Zhi Nü, one of the seven goddesses, it was love at first sight. She stayed behind in the mortal world marrying Niu Lang. When the Goddess of Heaven discovered this, she ordered Zhi Nu to return to Heaven. QIXI celebrates...

The Chinese tea ceremony is one of the most important parts of a Chinese wedding. It is often done in an intimate setting where couples serve tea as a way to pay respect and show gratitude towards their families, who in turn bless the newlyweds with words of advice and red envelopes ("lai see"/ "hongbao").   So what happens? Well first, the general rule is that the groom is on the right and the bride on the left. The couple kneels on red cushions placed on the floor whilst serving tea to their families, who will be sitting on chairs. When serving tea, it is vital to serve with two hands and bow slightly forward to ensure the recipient does not have to move forward to receive...