The 9th day of the 9th lunar month is the traditional Chongyang Festival, or Double Ninth Festival. It usually falls in October in the Gregorian calendar. In an ancient and mysterious book Yi Jing, or The Book of Changes, number "6" was thought to be of Yin character, meaning feminine or negative, while number "9" was thought to be Yang, meaning masculine or positive. So the number nine in both month and day create the Double Ninth Festival, or Chongyang Festival. Chong in Chinese means "double." Also, as double ninth was pronounced the same as the word to signify "forever", both are "Jiu Jiu," the Chinese ancestors considered it an auspicious day worth celebration. That's why ancient Chinese began to celebrate this festival long time ago.
The custom of ascending a height to avoid epidemics was passed down from long time ago. Therefore, the Double Ninth Festival is also called "Height Ascending Festival". The height people will reach is usually a mountain or a tower. Ancient literary figures have left many poems depicting the activity. Even today, people still swarm to famous or little known mountains on this day.
On this day, people will eat Double Ninth Gao (or Cake). In Chinese, gao (cake) has the same pronunciation with gao (height). People do so just to hope progress in everything they are engaged in. There is no fixed ways for the Double Ninth Cake, but super cakes will have as many as nine layers, looking like a tower.
The Double Ninth Festival is also a time when chrysanthemum blooms. China boasts diversified species of chrysanthemum and people have loved them since ancient times. So enjoying the flourishing chrysanthemum also becomes a key activity on this festival. Also, people will drink chrysanthemum wine. Women used to stick such a flower into their hair or hang its branches on windows or doors to avoid evilness.
In 1989, the Chinese government decided the Double Ninth Festival as Seniors' Day. Since then, all government units, organizations and streets communities will organize an autumn trip each year for those who have retired from their posts. At the waterside or on the mountains, the seniors will find themselves merged into nature. Younger generations will bring elder ones to suburban areas or send gifts to them on this day.
9日農(nóng)歷的九月初九是重陽(yáng)節(jié)的傳統(tǒng),或重陽(yáng)節(jié)。它通常在公歷10月下降。在一個(gè)古老而神秘的書(shū)《易經(jīng)》,或《易經(jīng)》,數(shù)字“6”被認(rèn)為是陰的性格,意味著女性或消極,而數(shù)字“9”被認(rèn)為是楊,男性或積極的意義。所以數(shù)字9月和天創(chuàng)建重陽(yáng)節(jié),或的重陽(yáng)節(jié)。在中國(guó)意味著“雙創(chuàng)。”同時(shí),重陽(yáng)節(jié)被宣布一樣表示”這個(gè)詞永遠(yuǎn)”,都是“古代,“中國(guó)人的祖先認(rèn)為這是一個(gè)值得慶祝的好日子。這就是為什么中國(guó)古代很久以前開(kāi)始慶祝這個(gè)節(jié)日。
提升高度的習(xí)俗來(lái)避災(zāi)從很久以前的事了。因此,重陽(yáng)節(jié)也稱(chēng)為登高節(jié)。通常人們將達(dá)到的高度是山或塔。古代的詩(shī)人也為此做了許多流傳至今的詩(shī)句。即使是今天,人們?nèi)匀蝗褐蝓r為人知的山脈在這一天。
在這一天,人們還有吃“重陽(yáng)高(或蛋糕)。在中國(guó),高(蛋糕)有相同的發(fā)音與高(高度)。人們這么做只是希望進(jìn)步他們從事的一切。九層糕沒(méi)有固定的方式,但超級(jí)蛋糕將會(huì)有多達(dá)九層,看起來(lái)像一座塔。
重陽(yáng)節(jié)也是菊花開(kāi)花的時(shí)候。中國(guó)擁有多元化品種的菊花,人們自古以來(lái)愛(ài)他們。所以享受繁榮的菊花也成了節(jié)日的主要活動(dòng)。人們也會(huì)喝菊花酒。還會(huì)把菊花插在頭上或者懸掛在窗戶(hù)或門(mén)來(lái)辟邪。
1989年,中國(guó)政府決定重陽(yáng)節(jié)是老年人的一天。從那時(shí)起,所有政府單位,組織和街道社區(qū)將組織一個(gè)秋天旅行每年退休的人從他們的職位。在水邊或山上,老年人將會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)他們合并成自然。年輕一代將老人的郊區(qū)或送禮物,他們?cè)谶@一天。
