The written word and tradition in China

Editor's note: The Chinese character 敬 ("jing"), meaning respect or to show respect, is a keyword for China's Chongyang Festival. It falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, usually in October. This year, it falls on Oct. 4.

"Chong" in Chongyang means double, and "yang" refers to the number nine as the ancient Chinese people regarded nine as a "yang" number. Therefore, the name of the Chongyang Festival, which is also called Double Ninth Festival, comes from when two nines appear on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month.

As an old Chinese farming proverb goes, "With the arrival of the double ninth, stop working and have a rest." This refers to the fact that farming activities have been basically completed around the time of the Chongyang Festival, and a wide range of ritual activities are expected to be held to celebrate the year's harvest.

Respecting the elderly

The number nine is the largest of the "yang" numbers. When two "nines" are read together, its pronunciation is similar to the Chinese word meaning long-lasting. Therefore, the Chongyang Festival is said to imply a healthy and long life. In 1989, the Chinese government made the ninth day of the ninth lunar month every year Seniors' Day by integrating the traditional customs into modern life to show respect, love and support for elderly people.

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Enjoying feasts to pray for longevity

The custom of enjoying a feast to pray for longevity on the Chongyang Festival has been recorded in some ancient works. It embodies people's wishes for the health and longevity of their elders and enjoys great popularity throughout the country. It is said that this custom developed from sacrificial banquets planned to celebrate the harvest. On the basis of offering sacrifices to heaven and one's ancestors, praying for longevity and having a feast were added to form the basis of the Chongyang Festival, which continue to this day.

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Legend of Chongyang Festival

According to legend, there was a plague demon living in Runan county during the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220). On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month every year, the demon would come out to wreak havoc, forcing the people into poverty and despair. One day, a young man named Heng Jing decided to vanquish the demon. Having gone through many hardships and difficulties, he finally found a fairy master with strong powers, and learned swordsmanship. After he returned to his hometown, he gave each of the villagers a sprig of dogwood and a cup of chrysanthemum wine, as the fairy had told him, to drive away the demon and then he killed it. From then on, the custom of wearing dogwood sprigs and drinking chrysanthemum wine during the Chongyang Festival has been passed down.

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Climbing mountains to look into the distance

The ancient people had the custom of climbing to a high spot on the Chongyang Festival, and so it is also called "Climbing High Festival." This practice originated from the temperate climate around the Chongyang Festival and the ancient people's worship of mountains. Meanwhile, as October sees the arrival of fall with clear skies and bracing air, it is a good time for getting outdoors. Climbing mountains to look into the distance allows people to relax and enjoy themselves.

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Eating Chongyang cakes

Chongyang cakes vary between different regions across the country, and are also known as flower cakes, chrysanthemum cakes and five-color cakes. Most are decorated with chrysanthemums and a small red paper flag. The word "cake" in Chinese has the same pronunciation with "height" ("gao" in pinyin), and so symbolizes climbing high. At dawn on the festival, a piece of cake is pressed against children's foreheads, and parents will express their wishes for their children to "achieve height." This is the original intention of the ancients in making cakes during the festival.

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Appreciating chrysanthemum flowers

The Chongyang Festival takes place when chrysanthemums are in full bloom. The chrysanthemum is regarded as a symbol of longevity by the Chinese people because it can blossom in late fall when temperatures are dropping and most other flowers have already lost their petals. Since the Three Kingdoms period (220-280), and the Wei and Jin dynasties (220-420), it has become fashionable to drink wine, appreciate chrysanthemums and compose poems on the Chongyang Festival.

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