Abstract:
The names of the Herd-boy and the Weaving-girl occurred first in the Book of Songs. In the early West Han Dynasty, the legend of love between the Herd-boy and the Weaving-girl was taking shape. The two statues of the Herd-boy and the Weaving-girl now kept in Doumen of Chang'an County were the oldest man-shape images of the two heavenly constellations. The characters and plot of the legend had already taken shape in times of the Wei, the Jin, and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the further evolution of which continued in the Tang, the Song and the following Dynasties. The custom of celebrating the July-7th Evening was also originated in Chang'an. In the early West Han Dynasty, people in Chang'an celebrated the July-7th Evening by keeping watch at night for wish realization or threading needles for sewing craftsmanship. This custom spread to southern China in the Six Dynasties and throughout the country in the Tang Dynasty with the grandest celebration in Chang'an. The fair of the Stone Lady Temple is a live carrier of the custom of the July-7th Evening celebration. The temple and the statues of the Herd-boy and the Weaving-girl are not only valuable relics but also treasurable cultural resources.
