Chongyang Festival, also known as Chongjiu Festival, Sunshine Autumn Festival and "Treading Autumn", is a traditional Chinese festival. Celebrating the Chrysanthemum Festival usually includes activities such as going on trips to enjoy autumn, climbing up to a high altitude, viewing chrysanthemums, sticking dogwoods all over the place, eating chrysanthemum cakes, drinking chrysanthemum wine, and so on. It is celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar every year and is one of the four traditional Chinese festivals for ancestor worship, along with the New Year's Eve, Qingming Festival, and the Chinese New Year's Day. Chongyang Festival, as early as the Warring States period has been formed, to the Tang Dynasty was officially designated as a folk festival, and since then it has been inherited by successive dynasties to the present day. Chrysanthemum and the first three days of March "Treading Spring" is the family out of the room, Chrysanthemum on this day all the relatives have to climb together "to avoid disaster".

"I Ching" in the "six" as the number of yin, the "nine" as the number of yang, September 9, the sun and the moon and yang, the two nine heavy, so it is said that Chongyang, also known as the heavy nine. Chongyang Festival has been formed as early as the Warring States period, since the Wei and Jin Dynasty, the atmosphere of Chongyang is getting stronger, doubly so by generations of writers and writers, to the Tang Dynasty was officially designated as a folk festival, and since then has been inherited by successive dynasties to the present day.

In 1989, the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar was designated as the Day of the Elderly, advocating the establishment of the whole society to respect the elderly, honor the elderly, love the elderly, and help the elderly. 2006 May 20, Chongyang Festival was included in the State Council in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.

Folk Customs

Folk Activities

Autumn Appreciation

The Chrysanthemum Festival is one of the best times to enjoy autumn, and there are still some mountainous villages in southern China that have retained the characteristics of "sunbathing in the autumn". Going to the countryside to enjoy folklore and see the sunshine autumn has become a fashion for rural tourism. "Sunshine autumn" is a typical agricultural phenomenon, with strong regional characteristics. In Hunan, Guangxi, Anhui, Jiangxi and other villagers living in mountainous areas, due to the complex terrain, the village flat land is very little, had to use the front and back of the house and their own windowsill roof racks sun, hanging sunshine crops, over time has evolved into a traditional agricultural phenomenon. This villagers drying crops of the special way of life and the scene, gradually became a painter, photographer chasing the creation of the material, and shaped the poetic "sunshine autumn" name. The development so far, many places of this sunshine autumn custom slowly fade, but in jiangxi wuyuan huangling ancient village, sunshine autumn has become the farmers happy to celebrate the harvest of the "ceremony". With the ripening of fruits and vegetables, Huangling September 9 every year also began to enter the sunshine autumn season, and held a grand sunshine autumn festival. Huangling sunshine autumn by the ministry of culture as "the most beautiful symbol of China", after its more evolved into rural tourism to enhance the "totem" and business card, attracting hundreds of thousands of people every year to go to wuyuan to enjoy the autumn shooting.

The Chrysanthemum Festival is a traditional Chinese festival that combines a variety of folklore. Celebration of the festival usually includes activities such as enjoying the scenery, climbing up to a high altitude, viewing chrysanthemums, sticking dogwoods all over the place, eating chrysanthemum cakes and drinking chrysanthemum wine.

Advancing

Advancing in the Chrysanthemum Festival

The Chrysanthemum Festival begins with the custom of ascending to a high altitude. In September, this season, the sky is high and cool, and you can reach the goal of relaxation and fitness to get rid of diseases.

As early as in the Western Han Dynasty, "Chang'an Zhi" in the capital of the Han Dynasty on September 9, when people play to view the record. In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there is the famous story of "Dragon Mountain Hat".

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, to piece of cake on the forehead of the children, the mouth read the words, wishing the children all things are high, is the ancient people in September for the cake of the 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.

Chrysanthemum Appreciation

Chrysanthemum Appreciation, Drinking, and Playing Games

Chrysanthemum Day, there has always been a custom to appreciate chrysanthemums, which is why it is also known as the Chrysanthemum Festival in ancient times. In September of the lunar calendar, commonly known as the month of chrysanthemums, the festival organizes a chrysanthemum conference, and crowds of people from all over the city go to the conference 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.

Drinking Chrysanthemum Wine

Chrysanthemum contains health ingredients, and Ge Hong's "Hug Park Zi" of the Jin Dynasty recorded that people in the mountains of Nanyang gained longevity by drinking the water of the sweet valley where chrysanthemums were found. Drinking chrysanthemum wine during the Chung Yeung Festival is a traditional Chinese custom. In ancient times, chrysanthemum wine was regarded as the "lucky wine" that must be drunk on the day of Chung Yeung to get rid of calamities and pray for good fortune.

Chrysanthemum wine has been seen in the Han Dynasty. Later, there were still stories of giving chrysanthemums to wish for longevity and picking chrysanthemums to make wine. For example, Cao Pi, the Emperor of Wei, gave chrysanthemums to Zhong Yao (wishing him longevity) on the day of Chrysanthemum Festival, and the Emperor of Liang, "Picking Chrysanthemums", had a sentence of "picking chrysanthemums in baskets, and dipping them in the morning when they are wet with dew", which was an example of picking chrysanthemums to make wine. Until the Ming and Qing Dynasties, chrysanthemum wine is still prevalent, in the Ming Dynasty, Gao Lian's "Zunsheng Bazian" is still recorded, is the prevalence of fitness drinks.

Cornelian dogwood

The ancient custom of inserting cornelian dogs into the nine cornelian dogs was also practiced in ancient times, so it was also called the Cornus 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 also known as the "evil weng".

Customs

Domestic

Jiangxi Province, Wuyuan County, September 9, Huangling Sunshine Autumn Festival. Wuyuan Huangling ancient village still retains better "sunshine autumn" production life phenomenon, autumn has a large number of fresh vegetables and fruits need to dry storage, formed a spectacular scene.

Xianghe County, Hebei Province, September 9, families with in-laws will send gifts to each other, known as the "Festival of Chasing". In Yongpingfu, the weather of Chongyang accounts for the future rain or shine. If it rains on the Chongyang Festival, it will also rain on these days. As there are no mountains in Dianzhou County, many county residents go up to the city tower to climb high on the Chongyang Festival.

People in the north of Changyi, Shandong Province, eat spicy radish soup on the Chongyang Festival, and there is a proverb that says: "Drinking radish soup, the whole family will not suffer". Jancheng folk said the Chongyang Festival for the God of Fortune's birthday, home cooking charcoal cake sacrifice God of Fortune. In Zouping, Fan Zhongyan is worshipped in Chongyang, and in the old days, dye houses and wine houses also worshipped the god of cylinder on September 9th. Tengzhou married less than three years of daughter, avoid going back to her mother's home for the festival, there is a "home for the Chung Yeung, death of her mother-in-law," said.

Xixiang County, Shaanxi Province, Chongyang Festival, friends and relatives to chrysanthemums, chrysanthemum cake gifts. Scholars and scholars appreciate each other with poetry and wine. It is said that women can cure heartache by picking cornelian cherry in their mouths on this day.

Jiangsu Province Chrysanthemum Festival, Nanjing people to five-color paper chiseled into a slanting shape, linked into a flag, inserted in the court. Changzhou County Chanyang Festival to eat a noodle called "camel's feet". Wuxi County Chrysanthemum Festival to eat the Chrysanthemum Cake, Nine Pieces of Soup.

Shanghai, Shanghai Yuyuan chrysanthemums in the Chrysanthemum Festival, to the new, noble, rare and different three scores to determine the high and low.

Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, visit each other on the Chrysanthemum Festival, unless a friend or relative has a funeral, only to the spirit of crying. Tonglu County, September 9 to prepare pigs and goats to ancestors, known as the autumn festival. At the same time also in the Chongyang Festival tied zongzi, gift each other, known as Chongyang zongzi.

Tongling County, Anhui Province, the ninth day of the Chongyang for the Dragon Candle will be to meet the mountain gods. Cutting bamboo horses for theater is said to expel the plague.

Wuchang County, Hubei Province, in the Chung Yeung Day brewing, it is said that this brewed wine is the most clean, and long hiding not bad. In Yingcheng County, the Chrysanthemum Festival is a date for returning wishes, and even families worship the god of Tianzu in Fangsha on this day.

Changting County, Fujian Province, farmers picking field beans to gift, known as the Maodou Festival. Haicheng County, Chongyang Festival kite flying as a play, known as the "wind Crew".

Guangdong Province, Lianchuan Chrysanthemum, boys and girls are to the city outside the gathering to answer the song, the state people watch. Nanxiong Province on September 9, please Maoshan Taoist priests to build the Queen Mother will, want to seek heir of young women will come to participate. Yangjiang City, Chongyang Festival release paper kites, and tie rattan bow on it, in mid-air sound very loud and clear. Lingao County people get up early on the Chongyang Festival, everyone shouted "catch the cat", as a good omen of peace and prosperity.

Huaiji County, Guangxi Province, to the Chung Yeung for the first day of the Emperor. Men and women, young and old, out of the city, Sai God reward, all with cannons. Longan County, September 9, let the cattle and sheep to forage for food on their own, as the saying goes: "September 9, cattle and sheep to keep their own".

Sichuan Province, the old Nanxi County readers on this day in Longtengshan Censhan building gathering to commemorate the poet Cen Sen, known as the "Cen Guild". The old folk custom, before and after the Chongyang to glutinous rice steamed wine, making mash. As the saying goes: "Chrysanthemum steamed wine, sweet and savory".

Shanxi Province, Shanxi Jinnan region since ancient times, there is a September 9, the traditional habit of heights. The festival has become a feast for those who want to see the great mountains and rivers and admire the famous monuments. So far in the folklore recited "Qiankun open win concept, my generation together high", "the east wind can not stay, Ran up the peak", "September Xin new clear, three farmers celebrate the fall" and other famous words.

Henan Province in 2010, the Chinese National Association awarded Nanyang City, Xixia County, as "China's Chongyang cultural hometown", and in the Xixia established the country's only "China's Chongyang Cultural Research Center", which is held here every year on the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar. "China - Xixia Chongyang Cultural Festival" will be held here every year on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month.

Overseas

Korea eats flower fry and cauliflower, plays flower fry games and flies kites.

Japan eats eggplants and sacrifices chrysanthemums with chestnut rice.