According the legend, mortal cowherd Niulang, fell in love with Zhinu a fairy weaving girl. Their love was forbidden and they were banished to different sides of the Milky Way. Magpies took pity on them and built a bridge they could cross once a year - on the seventh night of the seventh lunar month, known as the Qixi Festival. Many regard it as China's Valentine's Day. In Ningxiang, Central China's Hunan province, singletons echo the legend by holding an Ancient Costume Dating event where suitors dress as Niulang, to parade their best cow past prospective partners in the hope of finding their fairy partner. This year, Qixi festival falls on August 28.[Photo/Chinanews.com]