In Chinese culture, there is an older observance related to lovers, called “The Night of Sevens” (Chinese: ??; pinyin: Qi Xi). According to the legend, the Cowherd star and the Weaver Maid star are normally separated by the milky way (silvery river) but are allowed to meet by crossing it on the 7th day of the 7th month of the Chinese calendar.

In Japan, a slightly different version of ?? called Tanabata has been celebrated for centuries, on July 7 (Gregorian calendar).[58] It has been considered by Westerners as similar to St. Valentine’s Day,[59] but it’s not related to it, and its origins are completely different.