Qixi & The Mother-in-Law from Heaven / Hell

Happy Chinese Valentine's Day

Love is hard.

Consider the Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine's Day, on August 25.

It's a classic rich girl-poor boy story. But a thousand times crazier.

In short, a bored – and single – cloud weaver flies from the Heavens to Earth. She marries a cow farmer, has children and almost lives happily ever after.

GIF credit：GIPHY

Except for her Mom, the Empress of Heaven, finds out and is super angry her lovely daughter married a mere human. She dispatches the equivalent of the Space Army to bring her girl home.

Then things get crazier.

The farmer's Best Ox sees the farmer and children are sad and starts to talk. Yes, a talking ox. The ox basically says, "If you guys kill me and wear my hide, you can fly to the Heavens and reunite." (That's one loyal animal!)

GIF credit：GIPHY

The plan works. Almost.

The Mother-in-Law from Heaven / Hell finds out just before the lovers can reunite. She uses a hairpin to scratch the heavens and creates a Silver River – we call it the Milky Way – and keep the pair apart.

Then things get crazier.

Milky way 

Billions of birds – magpies – fly up to the Heavens. (How did these birds survive? Tiny space suits? Nobody knows.) The birds create a bridge over the Silver River so the lovers can finally meet and enjoy a bottle of Champagne.

Why Champagne? Because when the 17th-century monk Dom Perignon first tasted this bubbly wine, he exclaimed, "Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!"

Also, why not?

GIF credit：GIPHY

And after that Champagne, maybe they had Mad Bird Dark Malbec from Argentina, a wine with a name that salutes those crazy magpies and is nearly as deep in color as deep space.

Tap the picture to learn more about 

Mad Bird Dark Malbec

By that way, that Malbec should pair nicely with a dish that pays tribute to the Best Ox, the animal that made a reunion of lovers possible – braised oxtail stew.

Oxtail stew with wine

Try some for Qixi Festival. It's held on the seventh day of the seventh month of the Lunar calendar when the birds get together to create that bridge. And be thankful your love life is much easier.

Original by Jim Boyce, Grape Wall of China 葡萄围城

Tap here for some solid knowledge of wine.

Special Qixi Offer

On this special day, why not enjoy some sips of red wine and the bubbly as the cloud weaver and cowboy did upon their reunion? By the end of today, get 10% off from our Ammasso Rosso and Moscato Fashion Victim Rosso, along with two wine glasses and/or champagne flutes for free.

Extract the QR code in the pictures below to place an order. 

Ammasso Rosso

Moscato Fashion Victim Rosso

Flash Sale on Moscato

Summer isn't over yet – cool yourself down with a bottle of Aussie moscato from Riverina. You will enjoy this white wine with a mixed touch of lychee, mango, apple and melon. 

Tomorrow, tap the picture below to treat yourself now. 

Free Roses for Your Partner

For today only, get a fresh rose from CHEERS for orders over ¥99 whether you shop online or in our 60+ stores across the country. Got a question? Message us on WeChat or call us at 4000055500.

Wish you a wonderful valentine's day with your partner!