On August 29th, China’s traditional Qixi Festival, many couples chose to register their marriage on this day. As of 6:00 PM on August 29th, a total of 1,805 marriage registrations were processed citywide, a 70% increase compared to last year’s Qixi Festival.

On Qixi Festival, civil affairs bureaus and district marriage registration offices made preparations in advance and optimized services. Measures such as adding service counters, increasing staff, and extending service hours were implemented to provide efficient support for couples registering their marriages, ensuring a smooth and “zero-wait” experience for obtaining their certificates.

Marriage registration offices across the city were filled with a romantic atmosphere. Taking the Qixi Festival as an opportunity, various district civil affairs bureaus organized diverse thematic activities to boost the “sweetness economy.”

Luohu District set up an outdoor jewelry-themed certification point at IBC MALL in Shuibei, complementing the “high-altitude certification point” at Wutong Pavilion, together forming Luohu’s “Sweet Twin Stars.” Bao’an District held a collective wedding on a cruise ship, where couples received their Qixi marriage certificates under the witness of the blue sea and sky. They boarded the Rainbow cruise ship for an immersive experience along the “Shenzhen-Zhongshan Sweet Route.”

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Nanshan District created several stunning photo-worthy scenes blending “technology × ancient style” with the theme of “technology redefining romance,” and even invited robots to assist. During the certification ceremony, smart robots delivered marriage certificates and flowers, while drones ascended to create a beautiful petal rain, adding a novel experience to the traditional Chinese wedding. In the indoor certification hall, the “Robot Matchmaker” engaged with couples through witty intelligent dialogue, saying, “Welcome to the Nanshan District Marriage Registration Office. Wishing everyone a happy Qixi Festival,” which drew laughter. The couples, all smiles, completed their ceremonies in an atmosphere filled with smart technology.

“Choosing to register our marriage on this special day, Qixi Festival, holds extraordinary meaning for us. It’s like a double blessing—first, our love has come to fruition, and second, we’ve bought a home and settled in Shenzhen, truly putting down roots,” said one couple.

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Qixi Festival

The Qixi Festival, also known as the Chinese Valentine’s Day, is a traditional holiday celebrated on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month. It originates from the Han Dynasty folk tale of the cowherd Niulang and the weaver girl Zhinü, who are separated by the Milky Way and permitted to meet just once a year on this night. The festival celebrates romantic love and is marked by customs such as making wishes for skillful hands and a happy marriage.

IBC MALL

IBC Mall is a modern shopping center located in the Pudong district of Shanghai, China. It opened in 2016 as part of the larger International Business Center complex, a major development project. The mall serves as a retail and lifestyle hub for the area’s growing residential and business community.

Wutong Pavilion

The Wutong Pavilion is a historic landmark in Wuhan, China, originally built during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD) as a military watchtower. It is most famously associated with the Tang Dynasty poet Cui Hao, who wrote a celebrated poem about it, and has been repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt throughout its long history. The current structure is a modern reconstruction that serves as a popular symbol of the city and its cultural heritage.

Luohu District

Luohu District is one of Shenzhen’s oldest urban centers, serving as a major border crossing into Hong Kong through the Luohu Port. Historically, it was the site of the original Shenzhen market town before the city’s rapid economic expansion, making it a key area for commerce and transportation since the establishment of the Special Economic Zone.

Bao’an District

Bao’an District is a major administrative area of Shenzhen in Guangdong Province, China, with a history dating back over 1,600 years to its establishment during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. It has transformed from a rural county into a modern industrial and technological hub, serving as a critical part of the Pearl River Delta’s economic engine. The district is also home to Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, a key transportation gateway for the region.

Rainbow cruise ship

The “Rainbow cruise ship” is not a specific, historically recognized cultural site or vessel. It is likely a modern, generic name used by various cruise lines for ships designed for leisure travel, offering vacations that feature multiple destinations and onboard amenities. As such, it does not have a singular history to summarize.

Shenzhen-Zhongshan Sweet Route

The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link is a major infrastructure project in China, currently under construction, that will connect the cities of Shenzhen and Zhongshan across the Pearl River Estuary. It is an immense 24-kilometer-long bridge-tunnel system designed to significantly reduce travel time in the Greater Bay Area. The project, which began construction in 2016 and is expected to open in 2024, represents a major engineering achievement to integrate regional transportation.

Nanshan District

Nanshan District is a major economic hub in Shenzhen, China, known for housing the headquarters of numerous tech giants like Tencent. Historically, it was the site of the Shekou Industrial Zone, one of the first areas to experiment with China’s economic reforms and opening-up policies in the 1980s.