“七(qi)(qi)(qi)夕”最(zui)早(zao)来源于人们对自然的(de)(de)崇(chong)拜。从历史文献上看,至少(shao)在三四千年前,随着人们对天文的(de)(de)认(ren)识和纺织(zhi)技术的(de)(de)产生,有(you)关牵(qian)牛(niu)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)织(zhi)女星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)的(de)(de)记载就有(you)了。人们对星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)的(de)(de)崇(chong)拜远不(bu)止(zhi)是牵(qian)牛(niu)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)和织(zhi)女星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),他们认(ren)为东西南北(bei)各有(you)七(qi)(qi)(qi)颗代表(biao)方位的(de)(de)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),合称(cheng)二十八(ba)宿(su),其(qi)中以北(bei)斗(dou)七(qi)(qi)(qi)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)最(zui)亮,可供夜间(jian)辨别方向。北(bei)斗(dou)七(qi)(qi)(qi)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)的(de)(de)第(di)一(yi)颗星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)叫(jiao)魁(kui)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),又(you)称(cheng)魁(kui)首。后(hou)来,有(you)了科举制(zhi)度(du),中状元叫(jiao)“大魁(kui)天下士”,读书(shu)人把(ba)七(qi)(qi)(qi)夕叫(jiao)“魁(kui)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)节(jie)”,又(you)称(cheng)“晒书(shu)节(jie)”,保持了最(zui)早(zao)七(qi)(qi)(qi)夕来源于星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)宿(su)崇(chong)拜的(de)(de)痕迹(ji)。
“七(qi)(qi)夕”也来源古代(dai)人们对时(shi)间的(de)崇拜。“七(qi)(qi)”与(yu)“期(qi)”同(tong)音,月和日(ri)(ri)均是“七(qi)(qi)”,给人以(yi)时(shi)间感。古代(dai)中国人把(ba)日(ri)(ri)、月与(yu)水、火(huo)、木、金(jin)、土五大(da)行星合(he)在一起叫“七(qi)(qi)曜”。七(qi)(qi)数在民间表现在时(shi)间上阶(jie)段性(xing),在计算时(shi)间时(shi)往(wang)往(wang)以(yi)“七(qi)(qi)七(qi)(qi)”为(wei)终局(ju)。旧北京在给亡(wang)人做道场时(shi)往(wang)往(wang)以(yi)做满“七(qi)(qi)七(qi)(qi)”为(wei)完满。以(yi)“七(qi)(qi)曜”计算现在的(de)“星期(qi)”,在日(ri)(ri)语中尚有(you)保留。“七(qi)(qi)”又(you)与(yu)“吉”谐音,“七(qi)(qi)七(qi)(qi)”又(you)有(you)双吉之意,是个吉利(li)的(de)日(ri)(ri)子。在台湾,七(qi)(qi)月被称为(wei)“喜中带(dai)吉”月。因为(wei)喜字在草书中的(de)形状好似连写的(de)“七(qi)(qi)十(shi)七(qi)(qi)”,所以(yi)把(ba)七(qi)(qi)十(shi)七(qi)(qi)岁又(you)称“喜寿”。