Festivals

Date:Double Ninth Festival is held on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month every year. The corresponding Gregorian calendar date varies due to changes in the lunar calendar.

Overview:Double Ninth Festival, also known as Double Ninth Festival and Climbing Festival, is one of China’s traditional festivals with a history of more than 2,000 years. The Double Ninth Festival is endowed with rich cultural connotations because “Nine” is homophonic to “Long” and means long-lasting and longevity. In 1999, Double Ninth Festival was also established as China’s “Old People’s Day”, becoming an important festival for respecting and loving the elderly.

Origin of Double Ninth Festival

The origin of Double Ninth Festival can be traced back to the sacrificial activities in the pre-Qin period. The ancients believed that nine was a yang number. The ninth day of the ninth lunar month had two yang numbers, so it was called “Double Ninth Festival”. According to the “Book of Changes”, “nine” symbolizes masculinity in numbers, so Double Ninth Festival has become an important festival for praying for blessings and warding off evil. In the Han Dynasty, Double Ninth Festival gradually became a fixed folk festival and was widely promoted by the government in the Tang Dynasty.

Main customs of the Double Ninth Festival

• Climbing:The Double Ninth Festival is also known as the “Climbing Festival”. On this day, people will go to the mountains or high places to enjoy the autumn, which not only exercises the body, but also places good expectations for the future.
• Appreciating chrysanthemums:September is the season when chrysanthemums are in full bloom, and appreciating chrysanthemums has become one of the important activities of the Double Ninth Festival. The ancients also regarded chrysanthemums as a symbol of purity, and endowed them with the meaning of health and longevity.
• Drinking chrysanthemum wine:Chrysanthemum wine is a traditional drink brewed with chrysanthemums and glutinous rice, which is believed to have the effect of exorcising evil spirits and curing diseases. People drink chrysanthemum wine on the Double Ninth Festival to pray for health and peace.
• Wearing dogwood:Cornus is a plant with medicinal value. The ancients believed that it could exorcise evil spirits and avoid harm. On the Double Ninth Festival, many people will put dogwood in a sachet and wear it on their bodies.
• Respect for the elderly: The Double Ninth Festival is homophonic with “九九” (99), which means “久久” (long-lasting), implying longevity, so it is endowed with the meaning of respecting and loving the elderly. People will visit their elders on this day to express gratitude and blessings.

The cultural significance of the Double Ninth Festival

The Double Ninth Festival is a microcosm of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation. It contains the ethical concept of respecting the elderly and the good wishes of pursuing health and longevity. Through activities such as climbing heights and appreciating chrysanthemums, the Double Ninth Festival conveys the spirit of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

Today’s Double Ninth Festival is not only a folk festival, but also an important moment to promote the culture of filial piety. On this day, people express their love for their loved ones and nature through various forms of activities, and enhance the cohesion of family and society.