The origin of Chung Yeung Festival
The ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar is the traditional festival of the Chinese nation - the Double Ninth Festival, also known as the "Old People's Day". Because in the Book of Changes, "six" is set as a yin number, and "nine" is set as a yang number, on September 9, the sun and the moon are yang, and the two nines are heavy, so it is called Chongyang, also called Chongjiu. The ancients considered it an auspicious day to be celebrated, and the festival has been celebrated since a long time.
Ninety-nine Double Ninth Festival, because of the same sound as "long-lasting", nine is the largest number in the number, with the meaning of longevity, and autumn is also the golden season of a year's harvest, the Double Ninth Festival, the meaning is far-reaching, people have always had special feelings for this festival, there are many poems and poems in Tang and Song poems and songs, and there are masterpieces of poetry and chrysanthemum. Today's Chung Yeung Festival has been given a new meaning. In 1989, the mainland set September 9 as the Old People's Day every year, and the traditional and modern are skillfully combined to become a festival for the elderly who respect, respect, love and help the elderly.
The customs of Chung Yeung Festival
mountain climbing
In ancient times, the folk had the custom of ascending in Chongyang, so the Chongyang Festival was also called "Ascending Festival". Legend has it that this custom began in the Eastern Han Dynasty. There are many ascending poems written by literati in the Tang Dynasty, most of which are written about the custom of the Double Ninth Festival; Du Fu's Seven Laws "Ascending" is a famous article written about Chongyang ascending. There is no uniform rule where you go to climb the mountain, and you generally climb the mountain and climb the tower.
Eat chongyang cake
According to historical records, Chongyang cake is also known as flower cake, chrysanthemum cake, five-color cake, there is no definite method, and it is more casual. At dawn on September 9, the ancients put a piece of cake on the forehead of the children, and recited words in their mouths, wishing their children all the best, which was the original intention of the ancients to make cakes in September. The exquisite Chongyang cake should be made into nine layers, like a pagoda, and two lambs are also made on it, in line with the meaning of Chongyang (sheep).
Appreciate chrysanthemums and drink chrysanthemum wine
The Double Ninth Festival is the golden autumn season of the year, the chrysanthemums are in full bloom, it is said that appreciating chrysanthemums and drinking chrysanthemum wine originated from the great poet Tao Yuanming of the Jin Dynasty. Tao Yuanming is famous for his seclusion, poetry, wine, and love; Later generations followed suit, so there was the custom of Chongyang chrysanthemum. In the old days, literati and doctors also combined chrysanthemum appreciation with banquets and drinks, in order to get closer to Tao Yuanming. In the Northern Song Dynasty, the wind of chrysanthemum appreciation prevailed, and there were many varieties of chrysanthemums at that time. The folk also call the ninth month of the lunar calendar "Chrysanthemum Moon", and in the Double Ninth Festival, when the chrysanthemums are in full bloom, watching the chrysanthemums has become an important part of the festival. After the Qing Dynasty, the custom of appreciating chrysanthemums was particularly prosperous, and it was not limited to September 9, but it was still the most prosperous before and after the Double Ninth Festival.
Dogwood and hairpin chrysanthemums
The custom of inserting dogwoods during the Double Ninth Festival was already very common in the Tang Dynasty. The ancients believed that on the day of the Double Ninth Festival, dogwood could take refuge and eliminate disasters; or to wear it on the arm, or to put the dogwood in it as a sachet, and to wear it in it, and to put it on the head. Most of them are worn by women and children, and in some places, men also wear them. The Chongyang Festival Pei Zhu is recorded in Ge Hong's "Miscellaneous Records of the Western Classics" in the Jin Dynasty. In addition to wearing dogwoods, people also wear chrysanthemums on their heads. This was already the case in the Tang Dynasty, and it prevailed throughout the ages. In the Qing Dynasty, the custom of the Double Ninth Festival in Beijing was to stick chrysanthemum branches and leaves on doors and windows to "remove evil and attract good luck". This is the vulgarity of the hairpin chrysanthemum on the head. In the Song Dynasty, there were also those who cut the colored silk into dogwoods and chrysanthemums to give and wear.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the activities of the Chung Yeung Festival were enriched with new content. In 1989, the mainland designated the Chung Yeung Festival as the Old People's Day. On this day, all localities should organize mountaineering and autumn outings for the elderly to broaden their horizons, exchange feelings, and exercise.
Source: Netinfo Kangbao