The "Chong Yang Festival" is celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, and it is as such known as the Double Ninth Festival.
traditonal customs
传统习俗
Climbing Mountains
登高
People like to climb mountains on this festival, so Double Ninth Festival is also called “Mountain-climbing Festival “.
The 9th lunar month, with clear autumn sky and bracing air, is a good time for sightseeing. So people, both ancient and present, love to go sightseeing this month.
阴历9月这天,正值秋高气爽,适合旅行观光。所以,一到金秋九月,不论男女老少,都喜欢在此时旅行登高。
Apart from expelling bad luck and disasters, climbing mounting also indicates “climbing to a higher position”, and it is also an important reason why ancient people pay much attention about this custom. Another reason that climbing mountains are valued by people, especially by the elderly is that is has a meaning of “climb to a longevous life”. Also for this reason people believe that climbing mountains can make people live a more longevous life.
It is really refreshing to climb mountains and enjoy the beauty of nature at this bright and clear time in autumn. Climbing mountains on Double Ninth Festival was already prevailing in the Tang Dynasty, and a lot of poems were devoted to this custom.
“On the Ninth Day of the Ninth Lunar Festival: Thinking of My Brothers In Shandong”
------- Wang Wei(701-761) in Tang Dynasty
All alone in a foreign land.
I am twice as homesick on this day.
When brothers carry dogwood up the mountain,
Each of them a branch, and my branch missing.
九月九日忆山东兄弟
(唐) 王维
独在异乡为异客,
每逢佳节倍思亲。
遥知兄弟登高处,
遍插茱萸少一人。
Enjoying Chrysanthemum Flowers
赏菊花
Chrysanthemum originated in China and was recorded in some Chinese books as early as the 5th century B.C. Chrysanthemum blossom in the ninth lunar month have a beautiful name of “flower of longevity”.
菊花产自中国,最早记载始于公元前5世纪。菊花在阴历九月盛开,它有一个美称“长寿之花”
Drinking Chrysanthemum Flower Wine
饮菊花酒
The chrysanthemum flower wine is unique in brewing. In ancient times,people usually picked fresh chrysanthemum flowers and leaves on the 9th of the 9th lunar month, and brewed the mixture of them and grains into the wine, which would not be drunk until the same day next year. The wine is said to have wholesome effects on sharpness of the eye, alleviation of headache, drop of hypertension, reduction of weight and removal of stomach trouble, thus contributing to longevity. It is said that the drinkers of the chrysanthemum wine would be free from evil and have strong physique against cold weather.
The dogwood is a species of evergreen arbor; it is heavy-scented plant whose fruit is edible and stock and leaves can be medicinal materials. They can expel insects, get rid of the humidity, help digestion and cure inner heat. It puts out purple flowers in spring and bears, in autumn, purplish-brown fruit that is sour, puckery and mild in nature.
The Double Ninth cake is also known as “chrysanthemum cake” or “flower cake”. It dates back to the Zhou Dynasty. It is said that the cake was originally prepared after autumn harvests for farmers to have a taste of what was just in season, and it gradually grew into the present cake for people to eat on the Double Ninth Day.
Paper crane is just kite. According to our traditions and customs, flying kites usually happen at the Qing Ming Festival. But Tomb Sweeping Festival is during the rainy season which obviously is not suit for flying a kite, while Double Ninth Day owns clear autumn sky and crisp air making kite flying a best outdoor activity.
重阳节 Double Ninth Festival。The lunar calendar on September 9, is the traditional double ninth festival, also calls “The Old Person Festival”. The double ninth Festival as early as already formed in the Warring States time, to the Tang dynasty, The double ninth Festival has been decided as officially folk the holiday, hereafter the double ninth festival follows until now.农历九月初九,是传统的重阳节,又称为“老人节”。重阳节早在战国时期就已经形成,到了唐代,重阳节已经被证实定为民间的节日,此后重阳节一直沿袭至今。