Here’s Your Go-To Chinese Valentine’s Day Playlist

Today is Qixi Festival, sometimes referred to as “Chinese Valentine’s Day.” Qixi falls on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, ie, somewhere in August. It celebrates a powerful love story from deep in the annals of Chinese folklore: The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, a tale that’s been referenced as far back as 2,600 years ago, and which has been officially commemorated by Qixi since the Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD).

From the Wiki:

The tale of the cowherd and the weaver girl is a love story between Zhinü (織女; the weaver girl, symbolizing the star Vega) and Niulang (牛郎; the cowherd, symbolizing the star Altair).Their love was not allowed, thus they were banished to opposite sides of the heavenly river (symbolizing the Milky Way). Once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, a flock of magpies would form a bridge to reunite the lovers for one day.

To mark the occasion, the RADII team put our heads together and selected 25 top-notch songs of love, lust, and longing, including go-to KTV bangers, classics of the Canto/Mandopop love song canon, folk, rap, rock, and more. Enjoy!

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Cover image: Faye Wong in Chungking Express (Janus Films)

More on Qixi:

Runaway Single Dogs and “Rent Yourself” Apps Swarm the Internet for Qixi

Five Completely Non-Traditional Love Songs for Chinese Valentine’s

More RADII Spotify playlists:

Here’s What the New “Mulan” Soundtrack Should Sound Like