重阳节
Synopsis
Overview
The Double Ninth Festival, also known as the Chongjiu Festival, Height Ascending Festival, Cornel Festival, or Chrysanthemum Festival, is one of the important traditional folk festivals in China. It falls on the ninth day of the ninth month in the lunar calendar each year. In the Book of Changes, the number "nine" is considered a yang number, and the repetition of two nines gives the festival its name "Chongyang" (Double Yang). The core themes of the Double Ninth Festival are respecting the elderly, expressing gratitude, praying for blessings, and avoiding...
Overview
The Double Ninth Festival, also known as the Chongjiu Festival, Height Ascending Festival, Cornel Festival, or Chrysanthemum Festival, is one of the important traditional folk festivals in China. It falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month each year. In the Book of Changes, the number nine is considered a yang number; thus, the repetition of two nines gives the festival its name "Chongyang" (Double Yang). The core themes of the Double Ninth Festival are respecting the elderly, expressing gratitude, praying for blessings, and avoiding misfortune. Its customs and activities are rich and varied, mainly including ascending heights for a distant view, appreciating chrysanthemums, wearing cornel sprigs, drinking chrysanthemum wine, and eating Double Ninth cake. In 2006, the Double Ninth Festival was included in China's first national list of intangible cultural heritage. In 2012, Chinese law explicitly designated the ninth day of the ninth lunar month as "Senior Citizens' Day," further strengthening its cultural connotation of respecting and honoring the elderly.
History
The origin of the Double Ninth Festival can be traced back to the pre-Qin period. Its prototype is related to the "Autumn Sacrifice" activities for worshiping the heavenly deity and ancestors after the autumn harvest. During the Han Dynasty, the Double Ninth Festival began to become a fixed festival, incorporating customs for seeking longevity and warding off evil. According to the Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital by Ge Hong of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, after Consort Qi, a favorite concubine of Emperor Gaozu of Han (Liu Bang), was persecuted by Empress Lü, her maid Jia Peilan was expelled from the palace. She introduced the palace custom of "wearing cornel, eating peng cakes, and drinking chrysanthemum wine on the ninth day of the ninth month, said to grant longevity" to the common people. During the Wei and Jin periods, the festival added the refined literati pleasures of appreciating chrysanthemums and drinking wine. By the Tang Dynasty, the Double Ninth Festival was officially established as a folk festival, with various customs becoming mature, widespread, and passed down to the present day.
Main Features
The customs and activities of the Double Ninth Festival collectively reflect people's aspirations for health, longevity, seeking good fortune, avoiding disaster, and the wisdom of living in harmony with nature.
| Category | Specific Content | Characteristics and Symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Core Activity | Ascending Heights | Originated from mountain worship and disaster avoidance ("ascending heights to avoid misfortune"), later evolved into an autumn outing for physical fitness and broadening one's mind. |
| Symbolic Plants | Appreciating Chrysanthemums, Drinking Chrysanthemum Wine, Wearing Cornel | Chrysanthemums symbolize longevity and nobility; Cornel has medicinal functions of repelling insects, dispelling dampness, and warding off evil, believed by folk to avoid the "misfortune of Double Ninth." |
| Festive Food | Double Ninth Cake | The word for "cake" (gao) is homophonous with "height" (gao), symbolizing "rising step by step" and "everything reaching new heights." Elaborately made, often decorated with colorful flags, also called "flower cake." |
| Modern Connotation | Respecting the Elderly | Legally established as "Senior Citizens' Day" in 2012, advocating for the whole society to respect, honor, love, and assist the elderly, with various慰问 activities held. |
| Cultural Form | Poetry and Odes | Literati throughout history have left numerous famous works, such as Wang Wei's "Thinking of My Brothers on Mountain-Climbing Day," imbuing the festival with humanistic sentiment. |
Cultural Significance
The cultural significance of the Double Ninth Festival is multidimensional and profound:
1. Life Care and Misfortune Avoidance/Prayer for Blessings: Its initial theme of exorcising evil and avoiding disaster reflects the ancients' awe of natural forces and their simple pursuit of life safety. Customs like wearing cornel and ascending heights are concrete practices of this mentality.
2. Moral Bearing of Filial Piety and Respect for the Elderly: "Nine" is the ultimate number, signifying longevity. Therefore, the Double Ninth Festival has long been associated with respecting and honoring the elderly. The establishment of the modern "Senior Citizens' Day" institutionalizes this traditional virtue in the form of a festival, making it an important part of social spiritual civilization construction.
3. Harmonious Coexistence between Humans and Nature: Activities like ascending heights to enjoy autumn scenery and appreciating chrysanthemums embody the Chinese philosophical thought of conforming to the seasons and being close to nature. Engaging in outdoor activities during the crisp autumn season is itself a healthy lifestyle.
4. Emotional Expression and Literati Tradition: The Double Ninth Festival has inspired countless poets, such as Du Fu's "The boundless forest sheds its leaves shower by shower; The endless river rolls its waves hour after hour" and Wang Wei's "A lonely stranger in a strange land I am cast, I miss my family all the more on every festive day." These poems not only express personal feelings but also enrich the festival's cultural heritage, making it a common emotional bond for the Chinese nation.
References
- China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network · Double Ninth Festival Introduction:
http://www.ihchina.cn/project_details/14322/ - Chinese Government Website · Regulations and Significance of "Senior Citizens' Day":
http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2012-12/28/content_2301529.htm - Chinese Classic Ancient Texts Database · Relevant Records from Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital (Authoritative punctuated editions from publishers can be referenced):
https://www.gujiguan.com/ (This is the entry point for the ancient texts database; you can search and consult the relevant content in Volume 3 of Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital)
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