DIY Love
09:03, August 12, 2010 
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While Westerners always celebrate Valentine's Day on February 14th, the Chineseequivalent - Qixi ("The Night of Sevens") is a movable feast, occurring on the seventh day of seventh lunar month in the Chinese calendar - and this year, that's August 16.
"During the Han Dynasty and beyond, young girls would demonstrate domestic crafts such as needlework [or fruit-carving] for their relatives. So girls who'd normally have to be at home would go out; men could then meet their beloveds face to face," Beijing Folklore Society councilman Wang Mingzhen told Lifestyle.
Unlike the Lantern or Mid-autumn Festivals, there are no specific gifts for Qixi, according to Wang, but men can give things that girls "need": he suggests hair clips. Hair has some symbolism during this festival, as washing and brushing on this day was a traditional act of beautifying; therefore, combs and mirrors also make old-fashioned gifts. This year, we're suggesting a thoughtful kind of gift that combines a particular modern and traditional ethos: that's right, it's do-it-yourself kits (DIY)!
A Qixiin the tale
There's a beautiful and famous legend behind Qixithat recounts the tale of the seventh daughter of the Emperor of Heaven, a weaver named Zhi N who fell in love with Niu Lang, a cowherd. After spending all their time together instead of weaving and herding, the Jade Emperor was angered at their dereliction of duty and separated the couple with a Silver River (or "Milky Way"). Once a year – on Qixi – birds (commonly magpies) take pity on them and form a bridge so the two could meet for just one night. You may recall this touching tale from the shadow puppet scene in the recent Karate Kid remake.
Source: Global Times
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（Editor：王千原雪）
Staff members watch a screen showing the blast-off of the Long March-2FT1 carrier rocket loaded with Tiangong-1 unmanned space lab module at Beijing Aerospace Control Center, Sept. 29, 2011. Commander-in-chief of China's manned space program Chang Wanquan announced Thursday night that the launch of Tiangong-1 space lab module was successful. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)
Chinese President Hu Jintao watches the launch of Tiangong-1 space lab module at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 29, 2011. Other members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, including Wu Bangguo, Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang and Zhou Yongkang, are also present. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)
The graphics shows the launch procedures of the carrier rocket of Tiangong-1 space lab module, Long March-2FT1 on Sept. 29, 2011. (Xinhua/Lu Zhe) 
Image taken from Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows a Long March-2FT1 carrier rocket loaded with Tiangong-1 unmanned space lab module blasting off from the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China's Gansu Province, Sept. 29, 2011. (Xinhua) 
On Sept. 28, tourists travel around the Mingshashan Scenic Area in Dunhuang, Gansu province by camel. With the National Day vacation right around the corner, more and more tourists from home and abroad are going to Dunhuang. Riding on a camel, they travel in the desert to enjoy the cities rare form of natural scenery. (Xinhua/Zhang Weixian)
Chinese forest armed forces work together with forest firefighters on Sept. 28. (Xinhua/Chai Liren)
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/7102044.pdf