Chilseog

Chilseog (Seventh Evening)

Seventh day of the seventh lunar month

Chilseog is the Korean version of the Seven Sisters Festival, based on an old Chinese legend about two stars known as the Herdsman and the Spinning Maiden. The Herdsman star, located in the Aquila constellation, and the Spinning Maiden star, Vega in the Lyra constellation, are in love but can only meet once a year—on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, when it is believed that crows and magpies fly up into the heavens to form a bridge across the heavenly river, as the Milky Way is called.
On this night it is customary for young Korean women to pray for celestial assistance in sewing and to honor the stars by penning verse about them.

SOURCES:
AnnCustKorea-1983, p. 127
FolkWrldHol-1999, p. 456
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Celebration days: Aug 5, 2011; Jul 25, 2012; Jul 14, 2013; Aug 1, 2014; Jul 21, 2015