The Chong Yang Festival is celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, and it is also known as the Double Ninth Festival.
The festival began as early as the Warring States Period (475BC-221BC). According to the yin/yang dichotomy(二分法), yin represents the elements of darkness and yang represents life and brightness. Among Chinese numbers, nine belongs to positive numbers and it is regarded as yang. The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is a double yang day; hence people start to say Chong Yang Festival. The ninth month also predicts the approach of winter. It is a time when the living need warm clothing, and Chinese sons and daughters extended this to make the festival a time for providing winter clothes for their ancestors. The Double Ninth Festival, therefore, also became an occasion to visit the graves of dead family members. Clothes made of paper would be burned as offerings.
The Double Ninth Festival sees various activities. On the Double Ninth Festival, people usually climb mountains, appreciate chrysanthemums (菊花), drink chrysanthemums wine, and eat cakes. Ancient people thought climbing a mountain on this day could help them avoid misfortune and prevent disasters, and this gradually evolved into a relaxation and exercise.
Ancient people used to wear cornel (山茱萸) and admire chrysanthemums. Cornel is a kind of plant with edible(可食用的) fruit, while its stem and leaves have medicinal value. To prevent plague(瘟疫) and drive off smelly smells, people wear cornel and chrysanthemums on the Double Ninth Festival, and drink tea and wine made from the flowers.
Nowadays many people will still climb mountains, admire chrysanthemums, appreciate the beautiful scenery of autumn and eat cakes. In recent years, new contents have been added into this ancient festival, which has become a time to show respect for the elderly. People hold various activities in honor of senior citizens, wishing them good health and a long life.
The Double Ninth Festival is also a time for family get-togethers. It is an occasion to remember one’s ancestors, the sacrifices they made and the hardships they underwent. Often, family outings are organized during which people search to renew their appreciation of nature and to reaffirm(重申) their love and concern for family members and close friends.
| Title | The Double Ninth Festival | |
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Time
| ●People often 1 the Double Ninth Festival on the ninth day of the lunar month of a year. ●It’s a traditional festival with a 2 of more than 2,200 years, beginning from the Warring States Period. | |
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Origin
| ●The number nine is considered as yang, 3 life and brightness. ●The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is a double young day, which makes the name Chong Yang Festival come into being. ●The approach of winter in the ninth month means a time wearing warm clothing for both the __4 and the ancestors. | |
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5 and Meanings |
In the 6 | ●To help avoid 7 and prevent disasters by climbing mountains. ●Ancient people wore cornel, admire chrysanthemums and drank chrysanthemums wine to prevent plague and drive off 8 smells. ●They also eat cakes in the festival. |
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In modern time | ●To improve health by climbing mountains as a 9 of relaxation and exercise. ●People still admire chrysanthemums, appreciate the beautiful scenery of autumn and eat cakes. ●It’s a time for people to 10 senior citizens. ●To reaffirm love and concern for family members and close friends by family get-togethers. | |