Chinese "Valentine Day" story used to encourage visitors to head to Liverpool

LIVERPOOL, Britain, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- A giant-sized sculpture depicting a scene from a Chinese mythological story is set to dominate Liverpool's famous Chinatown Saturday to encourage people to rediscover the northwestern England's city this summer.

The oldest Chinatown in Europe will become home to "Cowherd & Weaver Girl", a giant pop-up story book which will encourage people to step into the pages in a celebration of love, family and friends.

"The outdoor artwork will depict a scene from a Chinese mythological story based around the Qixi festival, the Chinese Valentine's Day, which is celebrated on Aug. 14," said a spokesperson for Liverpool City Council. The piece will be remaining in Chinatown until Aug. 28.

The installation forms part of the Very Public Art festival, which is seeing a series of brand-new art commissions showcasing the local creative community, giving creators the chance to tell stories through their work.

All the works have been commissioned by Liverpool City Council's Culture Liverpool team, supported by the Arts Council England.

Laura Brownhill, the artist responsible for Cowherd & Weaver Girl, said: "Liverpool's Chinatown is world renowned and I'm so pleased to be able to create a piece of work which not only resonates with the community, but also engages visitors. It's a stunning location and the perfect place to pay tribute to Qixi and reinforce the power of love, family and friendship."

"To have new pieces of art pop-up across our city each week is fantastic to see. We're seeing a steady return of culture to this city and it's so refreshing to have thought-provoking and fun installations temporarily change our landscape. Each piece is so diverse. They are perfect selfie backdrops," said Liverpool's Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy, councillor Harry Doyle.

The Qixi Festival, sometimes referred to as the Chinese Valentine's Day, falls on every 7th day of the 7th month according to the Chinese lunar calendar. It celebrates the legend of the annual meeting between the mythological figures of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.