Double Ninth Festival is a traditional folk festival in China, which falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month every year. The number of "Nine" in the Book of Changes is the number of Yang, and the number of "Nine Nine" is the same, so it is called "Chongyang", and it is called "Double Nine" because both the day and the month meet nine. Returning to the truth of 1999, the ancients thought that 1999 Chongyang was an auspicious day.
In ancient times, there were customs such as climbing to pray for blessings, offering sacrifices to gods and ancestors, and drinking and praying for blessings. Inherited to this day, it has increased the connotation of respecting the elderly. Climbing mountains and enjoying autumn and giving thanks and respecting the elderly are two important themes of today's Double Ninth Festival. The Double Ninth Festival originated from the worship of astronomical phenomena, which began in ancient times, spread in the Western Han Dynasty and flourished after the Tang Dynasty.
Festival introduction
According to the existing historical data and textual research, in ancient times, there were activities of offering sacrifices to heaven and ancestors in season and autumn. The ancients offered sacrifices to the Emperor and ancestors when the crops were harvested in September, which was an activity to thank the Emperor and ancestors for their kindness. This is the original form of the Double Ninth Festival as an autumn harvest sacrifice activity. The Tang Dynasty is an important period when traditional festival customs are mixed and shaped, and its main part has been passed down to this day.
In the historical development and evolution, the Double Ninth Festival is a mixture of various folk customs, bearing rich cultural connotations. In the folk concept, "nine" is the largest number, which means longevity, and it places people's wishes for the health and longevity of the elderly. The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly, revised and passed by the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) on 20 12, stipulates that the ninth day of the ninth lunar month is the Day for the Elderly.