Qi Xi, or Double Seventh Night, also viewed as China's Valentine's Day, falls on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar year.

This year, it will be celebrated twice: July 31 and August 30, for the seventh lunar month this year is a leap month, whereby there will be two seventh months by the lunar calendar.

More and more young Chinese lovers in cities are interested in Qi Xi, and they prefer holding various parties to celebrate this year's Qi Xi.

Double Seventh Night originated from the love story of Niulang (the Cowherd, or the Altair) and Zhinv (the Girl Weaver, or the Vega) in Chinese legend. They fell in love but are seperated by the Goddess of Heaven. The latter created a wide river (Milky Way) to keep them apart. Only on Qi Xi, they could cross the Miky Way by the Bridge of Magpies, or Queqiao, and be together for a single night.

In traditional Chinese culture, young lovers and couples would celebrate this festival together. Unmarried stare at the two stars, praying for a satisfory marriage.

Mr. Shu, a staff member of commercial service agency, is planning to hold a bachelor party with his unmarried colleagues and friends. As a romantic guy, he hopes he can meet his future fiancee on Qi Xi. "I'm confident to find my true love on that day," he said.

In recent days, a deluge of messages on making friends on Qi Xi have appeared on the Internet, and there are more than that. Businessmen also want to make more profits in this year's double Qi Xi: Travel agencies have launched programs like "journey on Qi Xi," and clubs also programs including carnivals and private friends-making parties.

Ms. Sun, a young unmarried girl working for a transport company, said "Qi Xi is for boys and girls to become lovers."