The Origin and Customs of the Double Ninth Festival: A Thousand-Year Tradition of Climbing Heights and Honoring the Elderly

The Double Ninth Festival is an important traditional Chinese festival, falling on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. The ancients regarded nine as a yang number, and since the ninth day of the ninth month doubles the nine, it is called Chongyang (Double Ninth), also known as the Double Ninth Festival, Height-Climbing Festival, or Chrysanthemum Festival. This festival has a long history and remains a familiar autumn seasonal celebration today.

As for the origin of the Double Ninth Festival, it is generally believed to be related to ancient autumn harvest celebrations and the worship of celestial phenomena. As early as the Han Dynasty, activities such as climbing heights and wearing zhuyu (cornus) were already popular among the people, and by the Tang Dynasty they had gradually developed into a fixed festival. There is also a folk legend of climbing heights on the ninth day of the ninth month to avoid disaster, which embodies people's simple wish for peace and good fortune.

The customs of the Double Ninth Festival are rich and varied. Climbing to a height and gazing into the distance is the most widely practiced activity, with people going out to climb mountains and enjoy the autumn scenery on this day; admiring chrysanthemums and drinking chrysanthemum wine are also classic elements, as this is when chrysanthemums are in full bloom. In addition, many places have the custom of wearing zhuyu (cornus) and eating Double Ninth cake; the word for cake (gao) sounds the same as the word for height (gao), symbolizing rising step by step and a life that gets better and better.

In modern life, the Double Ninth Festival has been given a new meaning of honoring and loving the elderly. Nine sounds the same as jiu (long-lasting), carrying the beautiful implication of lasting forever, so this day is also often regarded as a festival for respecting and honoring the elderly. People visit their elders and accompany them on outings to enjoy the autumn scenery, and many communities also organize activities to honor the elderly. The combination of ancient festival customs with the virtue of filial piety and honoring the elderly keeps the Double Ninth Festival full of warmth today.