The Chung Yeung Festival, also known as Chung Yeung Festival and Chung Yeung Festival, is one of the traditional Chinese festivals. It is celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar. The day of the ninth day of the ninth month of the ninth lunar month is a high and sunny autumn day, which is a good time to climb up and enjoy the autumn scenery. The origin of the Chongyang Festival can be traced back to ancient times, and it is said that it was first dedicated to the gods of the mountains, and then gradually evolved into a festival of climbing high and enjoying the scenery, praying for longevity.

Origin of Chongyang Festival

There are many different stories about the origin of the Chongyang Festival, the most widespread of which is related to a story in Zhuangzi. According to legend, a disciple of Zhuang Zi told Zhuang Zi that the ninth day of the ninth month of the year was an inauspicious day because it was the day of the heaviest yin qi and it was easy to encounter evil spirits. Upon hearing this, Zhuang Zi told his disciples to pick dogwoods, drink chrysanthemum wine, and climb up to a high altitude to avoid evil spirits and prolong their lives on the ninth day of the ninth month. Since then, September 9 has become an important festival, known as the Chongyang Festival.

Customs of Chung Yeung Festival

There are many traditional customs in Chung Yeung Festival, the most important of which is to climb up to a high place and look around. Climbing high is one of the most characteristic activities of the Chongyang Festival. People will choose a mountain peak or a highland, climb to the top and look at the beauty of mountains and rivers from afar. This is not only a good exercise, but also a refreshing experience of nature's artistry. In addition, people will also pick dogwoods, enjoy chrysanthemums and savor chrysanthemum cakes.

Chongyang cake is one of the traditional foods of the Chrysanthemum Festival, which is made of glutinous rice, red dates, lotus seeds, walnuts and other ingredients. There are many ways to make Chongyang cake, either steamed or boiled, with a soft, sweet and savory taste. It is believed that consuming Chongyang cakes can drive away evil spirits, avoid disasters and prolong one's life, so on the day of Chongyang Festival, every household prepares Chongyang cakes.

Additionally, there is another important activity on the Chongyang Festival, which is to wear cornelian cherry. Cornus officinalis is an herb that has the function of driving away evil spirits and disasters, and it is believed that wearing cornus officinalis can keep people safe and ward off evil spirits and ghosts. Therefore, on the day of Chongyang Festival, people will stick cornelian cherry in their hats, coat pockets or wear them on their bodies to pray for peace and good luck.

How to Celebrate Chongyang Festival

There are many ways to celebrate Chongyang Festival, here are some common ways to celebrate:

1.Ascending a mountain or highland, choose a mountain or highland, climb to the top of the mountain with your family and friends, and look at the beauty of the mountains and rivers from afar, and feel the nature's magic work.

2. Picking Cornus: On the Chongyang Festival, people pick Cornus and wear them to pray for peace and good luck.

3. Appreciating Chrysanthemums: Chrysanthemums are in full bloom on Chrysanthemum Day, so people can go to flower beds and parks to appreciate the beauty of the sea of chrysanthemums.

4. Tasting Chrysanthemum Cake: Chrysanthemum cake is the traditional food of Chrysanthemum Festival, people can make or buy Chrysanthemum cake by themselves and taste it with their family.

5. Fitness activities: Chrysanthemum Festival is a good time to organize some outdoor fitness activities in autumn, such as hiking and cycling, to exercise and enjoy the beauty of autumn.