The ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar is a traditional Chinese festival, the Chongyang Festival. Because the "I Ching" in the "six" as the number of yin, the "nine" as the number of yang, the ninth day of September, the sun and the moon and yang, the two nine heavy, so it is called Chung Yeung, also known as Chung Kau. Chongyang Festival has been formed as early as the Warring States period, to the Tang Dynasty, Chongyang was officially designated as a folk festival, and has since been inherited by successive dynasties.

The folk custom of climbing high on this day is why the Chongyang Festival is also known as the "Festival of Climbing High", and there are also the Dogwood Festival and Chrysanthemum Festival.

People celebrate the Chongyang Festival by climbing up, enjoying chrysanthemums, drinking chrysanthemum wine, inserting dogwoods and eating cakes. In addition, because the first nine days of September "nine nine" harmonic is "JiuJiu", there is a long meaning, so often in this day to worship ancestors and the implementation of respect for the elderly filial piety activities.

December 28, 2012, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress voted to adopt the "Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly", the law clearly stipulates that every year on the ninth day of the ninth month of the Lunar Calendar (Chrysanthemum Festival) for the Elderly Day. The ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar is the traditional Chongyang Festival, also known as the "Festival of the Elderly".

September 9, the origin of the Chongyang Festival

The origin of the Chongyang Festival, as early as the "Lv's Spring and Autumn Annals" has been recorded: "(September) ordered the family Zai, agricultural preparations for the harvest, the importance of the five species. Hidden in the god warehouse of the emperor's book, respect and order." On this day, the Emperor was honored and sacrifices were offered to the Emperor, which were prepared by the Son of Heaven." It can be seen that at that time, there were already activities to celebrate the harvest in the name of sacrifices to the gods of heaven and earth, ancestors, used to thank heaven and earth, the gift of ancestors. By the Han Dynasty, the custom of wearing cornelian cherry and drinking chrysanthemum wine on the Chongyang Festival for longevity was recorded in the Xijing Miscellany. At the same time, there were various large-scale banquets, which evolved from the rituals celebrating the harvest in the pre-Qin period, and this was the early prototype of the Chongyang Festival.

Throughout the history of the festival, the celebration of the Chongyang Festival began as a court or official celebration. It was not until the Tang Dynasty that the Chongyang Festival was designated as an official festival that the court and the people began to celebrate it together, organizing a variety of activities during the festival. In the Song Dynasty, the festival was the most festive, and the book "The Old Story of Wulin" details that the court of the Southern Song Dynasty "made the 9th day of the festival on the 8th day of the month", so that the next day they could have some fun and excitement. The Ming and Qing dynasties are inherited the tradition, and from the first day of September on the lunar calendar began to eat flower cakes to celebrate, September 9, the day of the Chongyang Festival, the emperor also climbed high to win the victory.

What are the customs on the ninth day of the ninth month

1, high

The Chongyang Festival first have the custom of high. Autumn in September, the sky is high and cool, this season can be achieved by climbing high and looking far away, fitness to get rid of the purpose of the disease. As early as in the Western Han Dynasty, "Chang'an Zhi" in the Han Dynasty, the capital of September 9 when people play to view the record. In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there is the famous story of "Dragon Mountain Hat".

2, eat Chongyang cake

According to historical records, Chongyang cake, also known as flower cake, chrysanthemum cake, five-color cake, the system is not fixed, more random. September 9 when the sky is bright, with a piece of cake on the forehead of the children, the mouth read the words, wishing the children all things high, is the ancient people in September for the cake's original intention. The delicate Chongyang cake to be made into nine layers, like a pagoda, the top is also made into two small sheep, in line with the meaning of Chongyang (sheep). Some also inserted a small red paper flag on the cake, and light candles. This is probably the "light", "eat cake" instead of "high" meaning, with a small red paper flag instead of cornelian cherry. Today's Chongyang cake, there is still no fixed varieties, all over the Chongyang Festival to eat the fluffy cakes are called Chongyang cake.

3, chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum Day, there has always been the custom of chrysanthemums, so the ancient also known as the Chrysanthemum Festival. September of the lunar calendar is commonly known as the month of chrysanthemums, the festival held chrysanthemum conference, dumping city crowds to go to the meeting to enjoy chrysanthemums. Since the Three Kingdoms, Wei and Jin dynasties, it has become fashionable to gather and drink wine, enjoy chrysanthemums and write poems on Chrysanthemums at the Chrysanthemum Festival. In ancient Chinese custom, chrysanthemums symbolize longevity.

4. Drinking Chrysanthemum Wine

Chrysanthemum contains health ingredients, and Ge Hong of the Jin Dynasty, "Hug Park Zi", has a record of people drinking chrysanthemums all over the mountains of Nanyang and benefiting from the water in the sweet valley. Drinking chrysanthemum wine during the Chung Yeung Festival is a traditional Chinese custom. In ancient times, chrysanthemum wine was regarded as the "auspicious wine" that must be drunk on the day of Chung Yeung to get rid of calamities and pray for good fortune.

5, wearing cornelian cherry

Anciently, the custom of inserting cornelian cherry into the nine cornelian cherry is also popular, so it is also called Cornucopia Festival. Cornus officinalis is used in medicine and can be used to make wine to nourish the body and dispel diseases. Cornus and hairpin chrysanthemum in the Tang Dynasty has been very common. Cornus officinalis has a strong flavor, has the effect of driving away insects and dampness, expelling wind and evil, and can eliminate stagnant food, treating cold and heat. Folk believe that the ninth day of the ninth month of the ninth month of the ninth year is also the day of evil, many disasters, so in the Chongyang Festival people like to wear dogwood to ward off evil spirits and seek good luck. Cornus officinalis is therefore also known as the "evil weng".