Millions of Chinese youngsters took a day off on Monday, thronging flower and chocolate shops as well as matchmaking fairs and restaurants to celebrate the native version of Valentine's Day.

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. In traditional Chinese culture, young lovers and couples would celebrate this festival together.

This year, Qi Xi 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.

According to ancient Chinese mythology, the Cowherd and the Weaver Maid, lovers separated by the Queen Mother of the Western Heavens, can only meet only once a year.

Although both the Qi Xi festival and the Western Valentine's Day are dedicated to love, Feng said he hopes some new content besides roses and chocolates will become part of the traditional Chinese festival.

In recent days, a deluge of messages on making friends on Qi Xi have appeared on the Internet, and there are more than that.

Chinese businesses are also cash-in during this year's double Qi Xi. Travel agencies have launched programmes like "romantic journey on Qi Xi" and clubs hosting carnivals and private parties.

Image: A couple kisses in front of some 770,000 paper cranes decorated on the gate of Zhonghuamen Gate Castle in Nanjing of Jiangsu Province, China.

Text: PTI | Photograph: China Photos/Getty Images