The Qixi Festival is a Chinese festival that celebrates the meeting of the cowherd and the weaver girl in Chinese mythology – the love of these two was not permitted, and thus they were banished to opposite sides of the heavenly river. Once a year a flock of magpies <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magpie> would form a bridge to reunite the lovers for a single day. There are many traditions that are performed on the day including prayers, star gazing, the sharing of Qiao food. In some regions a bridge is built with large incense sticks, decorated with flowers and the burnt, in commemoration of the mythic couple’s love.