Thất tịch, the 7th of the seventh lunar month: the day of ông Ngâu and bà Ngâu
The 7th day of the seventh lunar month is Thất tịch, tied to the tale of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl and to the Ngâu rains. Its origin, customs, a red-bean trend and the next three dates.
The 7th day of the seventh lunar month is Thất tịch, which Vietnamese folk custom calls the day of “ông Ngâu and bà Ngâu”. The rain at this time of year is called mưa ngâu, the Ngâu rains.
When it falls
Thất tịch is the 7th day of the seventh lunar month. The next three dates, in Vietnam time:
| Lunar year | Lunar date | Solar date |
|---|---|---|
| Đinh Mùi | 7/7 | Sunday, 8 August 2027 |
| Mậu Thân | 7/7 | Saturday, 26 August 2028 |
| Kỷ Dậu | 7/7 | Thursday, 16 August 2029 |
Eight days after Thất tịch comes the full moon of the seventh month, Vu Lan.
The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl
Thất tịch came to Vietnam from China and is linked to the tale of Ngưu Lang and Chức Nữ, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. The two lovers are kept apart and may meet only once a year, on this day. Vietnamese people call the pair ông Ngâu and bà Ngâu.
Common customs
- Visiting a pagoda. Some people go to a pagoda to pray for a good match, or for harmony in the family.
- Red-bean sweet soup. In recent years many young people eat red-bean sweet soup (chè đậu đỏ) on this day. This is a new trend spread through social media, not an old custom.
The sources do not describe a set of offerings for Thất tịch, so this post does not list any.
The “double” days
Like the 5th of the fifth month (Tết Đoan ngọ), the 9th of the ninth (Tết Trùng cửu) and the 10th of the tenth (Tết Trùng thập), Thất tịch is a day whose number matches its month.
Festivals in Qelunai
The month view in Qelunai shows the lunar date and solar term of every day, worked out in Vietnam time right on your phone. In the next update, the calendar will mark traditional festivals, with a Festival section in Day details and an optional reminder one day before (off by default). To look up the lunar date of any day, use the Lunar calendar page.
Sources
Articles are cultural reference, not professional advice. Illustrations drawn by AI.