The seventh day of the first lunar month is known as Ren Ri, also called “People’s Day” or the “Birthday of Mankind.” It is celebrated as a key part of the Lunar New Year festivities and is traditionally regarded as the day when everyone grows one year older, effectively serving as a shared birthday for all humanity.
According to Chinese mythology, the mother goddess Nüwa created human beings on the seventh day.
Legend has it that Nüwa created mankind because she felt lonely. She molded humans from clay into different shapes and sizes. Handmaking humans became tiring, so Nüwa taught them about marriage, allowing them to reproduce on their own.
Many communities consume a dish made of seven different vegetables – such as mustard greens, celery, and leeks – each representing a specific blessing, such as wisdom or wealth. Eating long noodles on this day also symbolizes a wish for a long and healthy life. Because it is considered the “birthday” of various animals on the preceding days, people may avoid killing animals or punishing prisoners on Ren Ri as a show of respect for life.
The Haus of Dcaligari 