Double Ninth Festival

PoemAs a lonely stranger in a strange land,At every holiday my homesickness increases.Far away, I know my brothers have reached the peakThey are planting flowers, but one is not present.

"Double Ninth, Missing My Shandong Brothers" Wang Wei , Tang DynastyDouble Ninth, Missing My Shandong Brothers

Name definition The Double Ninth Festival are celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese calendar, it is a traditional Chinese holiday, mentioned in writing since before the East Han period (before AD 25).

Festival IntroductionAccording to the I Ching(), nine is a yang number; the ninth day of the ninth lunar month (or double nine) has too much yang ()(a traditional Chinese spiritual concept) and is thus a potentially dangerous date.

Hence, the day is also called "Double Yang Festival"

OriginOne day a man named Huan Jing believed that a monster bringing pestilence() was coming. He told his countrymen to hide on a hill while he went to defeat the monster. Later, people celebrated Huan Jings defeat of the monster on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month.

In 1966, Taiwan rededicated the holiday as "Senior Citizens' Day",underscoring one custom as it is observed in China, where the festival is also an opportunity to care for and appreciate the elderly.

Double Ninth may have originated as a day to drive away danger, but like the Chinese New Year, over time it became a day of celebration.

Traditional FolkloreTo protect against danger, it is customary to climb a high mountain, drink chrysanthemum wine, and wear the zhuyu () plant, Cornus officinalis. (Both chrysanthemum and zhuyu are considered to have cleansing qualities and are used on other occasions to air out houses and cure illnesses.) On this holiday some Chinese also visit the graves of their ancestors to pay their respects. People eat Chongyang Cake on the day.

Traditional Folklore

Climb climb a high mountain The double ninth festival have the custom of the first, in the autumn, the days of high air is clear, this season looks up to relaxed, the purpose of the fitness illnesses.

Traditional FolkloreEat Chongyang Cake Associated with the climb is engaged to eat the customs. High and cake harmonics, as holiday foods, was the first to celebrate the harvest, grain or changxin as tribute foreword to the purpose of folk just had the climb after eat cake, take the politician and lucky idea.

Chrysanthemum appreciation

ChongYang day, have to admire the chrysanthemum customs, so throughout the day and says the chrysanthemum. The lunar September commonly known as chrysanthemum month, festivals chrysanthemum congress, the fight for the crowds arrived chrysanthemum appreciation. From the three countries since the wei and jin dynasty, ChongYang party drinking, chrysanthemum appreciation has become a fashionable chanting. In the han ancient custom, chrysanthemum to symbolize long life.

Wear ZhuYu

To protect against danger, it is customary to wear the zhuyu () plant, Cornus officinalis. Both chrysanthemum and zhuyu are considered to have cleansing qualities and are used on other occasions to air out houses and cure illnesses.

Wear ZhuYu

Custom all overHebei XiangHeXian 9 September, affinity family will give gifts to each other, called "after festival".Shandong nearbu somebody else in the double ninth festival in northern eat spicy turnip soup, a proverb way: "drink the turnip soup, the whole family don't suffer.Shaanxi xixiang county the double ninth festival, friends and relatives to chrysanthemum, chrysanthemum cake is a gift.The double ninth festival, nanjing, jiangsu somebody else the five-color paper cut into cant form, LianZhui into flag, put in TingZhong.

International customs

South KoreaEat Fried cauliflower play flowers flowers, Fried game, fly a kite. JapanEat eggplant, eat meal offering chrysanthemum chestnuts