Romance blossoms on top of Sydney Harbor Bridge: Qixi Festival

As modern rendition of the traditional myth, four Chinese men climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge to proclaim their love to their girlfriends on the day of the Qixi Festival, known to Westerns as traditional Chinese Valentine's Day.

"Don't forget the tradition," Kevin Ren - who has been in Australia for 15 years - said almost 200 meters above Sydney Harbor on Thursday.

"The old men at home always tell the next generation don't forget the tradition."

According to the legend of the Qixi Festival, the gods banished Zhinu and Niulang - the weaver maid and the cow herder - to opposite sides of the Silver River (galaxy) as their love was forbidden.

On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, a flock of birds formed a bridge, allowing the pair to reunite and profess their love, for only the one day.

As the couples climbed to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge on Thursday, they were greeted to a violin rendition of "The Moon Represents My Heart," before the men surprised their partners though poetry recitals, dancing and singing to profess their love for their blushing girlfriends.

"Being serenaded by Kevin at the summit was just magical and a memory I'll always treasure, Ren's girlfriend Nicole Ji said.

"It's a very special day," Minnie Sheng said with a twinkle of romance in her eyes after her boyfriend, Andrew Zhang, recited a beautiful poem.

It will be hard for these men - and any person in the world for that matter - to match standing on top of picturesque Sydney Harbor to profess one's love to their partner next Valentine's Day. Endi