Yue Lao

月下老人 (月老)

The white-bearded Old Man Under the Moon, who joins destined couples with red thread

Yue Lao (月老), the Old Man Under the Moon, is the matchmaker god of Chinese folk religion and Taoism. Devotees believe he keeps the register of who will marry whom and joins couples with a red thread. The earliest written account is a Tang-dynasty tale, "The Inn of Betrothal," in which the traveller Wei Gu finds him reading a book of marriages by moonlight, a bag of red cords beside him.

People turn to him when hoping for a good match. In Taiwan he often stands as a side deity beside the City God and other gods, and the Xiahai City God Temple in Taipei is especially well known. Visitors follow the temple's steps for asking and carry one red thread home. His name is also an everyday word for a matchmaker.

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月下老人 (月老)

No. 079

How to recognise Yue Lao

Kindly, smiling faceLook for an elderly man with a rosy, benevolent face; he is always old and gentle, never young or stern.
Long white hair and beardHis snow-white hair and beard flow freely, matching Shen Fu's Qing-dynasty description of a child's complexion and crane-white hair.
Marriage registerHe holds the marriage register (姻緣簿), the book of the marriages of all the world, usually in his left hand; some sources call it a blank "heavenly book."
Red thread of fateA red silk cord (姻緣紅線), carried in a bag or draped over his shoulder, stands for the bond that joins those destined to wed.
Wooden staffA walking staff in his right hand marks him as a wandering old traveller; in Shen Fu's description the register hangs from it.
Golden-yellow robeHis warm yellow or gold robe, described as imperial in some sources, leaves the red thread as the one bright red accent.
MoonlightA full moon behind or beside him recalls the Tang tale, where Wei Gu finds him reading by moonlight.

Names and titles

Old Man Under the MoonThe literal meaning of Yue Xia Laoren, the old man who appears in moonlight
Keeper of the Marriage RegisterHe holds the book that lists who will marry whom
A Thousand Miles, One ThreadFrom the saying that a marriage a thousand miles away is joined by a single thread
Reading by MoonlightWei Gu first met him reading a book of marriages by moonlight
Venerable Moon GrandfatherA warm honorific: devotees call him Yue Lao Gong (月老公) or Yue Lao Ye (月老爺)

Feast days

Yue Lao's Birthday (月下老人聖誕)15th day of the 8th lunar month (next: 14 September 2027)

Many devotees keep Yue Lao's birthday on the full-moon night of Mid-Autumn, and Taiwanese deity-birthday calendars list it there. Not every source records a fixed birthday festival, so observance varies by temple.
How it's celebrated. Some temples hold birthday observances. Taichung's Guangtian Temple advertises a matchmaking ritual assembly for the day, and Taipei's Longshan Temple has been reported to hold a birthday party. Devotees bring sweets, flowers, red dates and longans, introduce themselves to Yue Lao, and may ask for a red thread. Some temples require divination blocks to approve the thread first.
Sources: Guangtian Temple (Taichung): Yue Lao birthday ritual assembly · Taiwan deity birthday list (sim.org.tw) · Taiwan People News: Yue Lao at Longshan and Xiahai
Qixi (七夕)7th day of the 7th lunar month (next: 7 August 2027)

Qixi, the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, is the traditional Chinese lovers' day, tied to the story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. Devotees see it as an especially favourable day to ask Yue Lao for a match.
How it's celebrated. In Taiwan, singles and couples visit Yue Lao shrines, including Xiahai City God Temple in Taipei and Tianhou Temple in Lukang. They bring offerings such as candy and flowers, and ask for a red thread. Taipei's Dadaocheng district also holds a city-organised Valentine's event around Qixi. Taiwanese folk belief also treats Qixi as the day of Qiniangma, guardian of children.
Sources: Taipei City Government: Xiahai City God Temple and the God of Love · Taipei Travel: Summer Roaming with the Taipei City God · Taiwan International Talent Circulation Base: Qixi in modern Taiwan
Lantern Festival (元宵節)15th day of the 1st lunar month (next: 20 February 2027)

The Lantern Festival, on the first full moon of the lunar year, closes the New Year season. In some communities it is also called a Chinese Valentine's Day, and people visit Yue Lao's shrine on it.
How it's celebrated. At Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong, worshippers have been reported lining up at the Yue Lao shrine. They hold red threads while praying, then tie them to the rope held by Yue Lao and his attendants. Some bring chocolate as an offering, and others hang wishing cards on peach blossoms. Some Taiwanese sources say the round full moon suggests love fulfilled. Customs vary by temple.
Sources: Lantern Festival in Wong Tai Sin (Myanmar iTV) · Huang Lian Fang: days to visit Yue Lao
Valentine's Day14 February, every year

Valentine's Day on 14 February is the Western-style lovers' day, now widely kept in Taiwan alongside Qixi. Many people visit Yue Lao's shrine at Taipei's Xiahai City God Temple on it, hoping for a partner.
How it's celebrated. Xiahai City God Temple is on Dihua Street in Dadaocheng. Visitors buy an offering set, light incense, and pray in turn to the City God, his wife and Yue Lao. First-time visitors are advised to offer red thread, sugar and lead coins, then circle the thread three times over the incense burner. Those whose wishes are granted return with sweets or wedding cookies to give thanks.
Sources: CNN Travel: Singles flock to the 'Love God' in Taipei · Taiwan Panorama: A Match Made in Heaven? Yue Lao Helps to Tie the Knot · Taipei Times: Singles flocking to temples in search of love