“七(qi)(qi)夕(xi)”最(zui)(zui)早来(lai)源于(yu)人(ren)们对(dui)(dui)自然的(de)(de)崇(chong)(chong)拜。从(cong)历史文献上看,至少在(zai)三四(si)千年前,随着人(ren)们对(dui)(dui)天(tian)文的(de)(de)认识和(he)纺织(zhi)(zhi)技术(shu)的(de)(de)产生,有关牵(qian)牛星(xing)织(zhi)(zhi)女星(xing)的(de)(de)记载就有了。人(ren)们对(dui)(dui)星(xing)星(xing)的(de)(de)崇(chong)(chong)拜远(yuan)不止是牵(qian)牛星(xing)和(he)织(zhi)(zhi)女星(xing),他们认为东西(xi)南(nan)北各有七(qi)(qi)颗(ke)代(dai)表方位的(de)(de)星(xing)星(xing),合称(cheng)二十八(ba)宿,其中(zhong)以北斗七(qi)(qi)星(xing)最(zui)(zui)亮,可(ke)供夜间辨(bian)别方向(xiang)。北斗七(qi)(qi)星(xing)的(de)(de)第一颗(ke)星(xing)叫魁(kui)星(xing),又称(cheng)魁(kui)首。后(hou)来(lai),有了科举制(zhi)度(du),中(zhong)状元叫“大魁(kui)天(tian)下(xia)士”,读书(shu)人(ren)把七(qi)(qi)夕(xi)叫“魁(kui)星(xing)节”,又称(cheng)“晒书(shu)节”,保持了最(zui)(zui)早七(qi)(qi)夕(xi)来(lai)源于(yu)星(xing)宿崇(chong)(chong)拜的(de)(de)痕迹(ji)。
“七(qi)(qi)夕”也来源古代人(ren)们对时(shi)(shi)间(jian)的(de)崇拜。“七(qi)(qi)”与(yu)“期”同音,月(yue)(yue)和日(ri)均(jun)是“七(qi)(qi)”,给(ji)人(ren)以时(shi)(shi)间(jian)感。古代中国人(ren)把日(ri)、月(yue)(yue)与(yu)水、火、木(mu)、金、土五大行星合(he)在一起(qi)叫(jiao)“七(qi)(qi)曜(yao)”。七(qi)(qi)数在民(min)间(jian)表现在时(shi)(shi)间(jian)上阶(jie)段性,在计算时(shi)(shi)间(jian)时(shi)(shi)往(wang)往(wang)以“七(qi)(qi)七(qi)(qi)”为(wei)(wei)终局(ju)。旧北京在给(ji)亡人(ren)做道(dao)场(chang)时(shi)(shi)往(wang)往(wang)以做满“七(qi)(qi)七(qi)(qi)”为(wei)(wei)完满。以“七(qi)(qi)曜(yao)”计算现在的(de)“星期”,在日(ri)语中尚(shang)有(you)保留。“七(qi)(qi)”又与(yu)“吉”谐音,“七(qi)(qi)七(qi)(qi)”又有(you)双吉之意,是个吉利的(de)日(ri)子。在台湾,七(qi)(qi)月(yue)(yue)被称(cheng)为(wei)(wei)“喜(xi)中带吉”月(yue)(yue)。因为(wei)(wei)喜(xi)字在草(cao)书(shu)中的(de)形状好(hao)似连写(xie)的(de)“七(qi)(qi)十(shi)七(qi)(qi)”,所以把七(qi)(qi)十(shi)七(qi)(qi)岁又称(cheng)“喜(xi)寿(shou)”。