Chongyang Festival, also known as "the old man's Day", is a traditional Chinese festival. Why is it called "the old man's Day"? In fact, it's because Jiujiu Chongyang has the meaning of long life because it's the same as "long time". Jiujiu is the largest number in the number. Because of this beautiful implication, it's also called "the old man's Day".
Why is double ninth day called the old man's day
Chongyang Festival has a history of more than 2000 years. The name "Double Ninth Festival" can be seen in the records but in the Three Kingdoms period. According to Cao Pi's nine days and Zhong Yao's book, he came to the moon at the age of 'and suddenly recovered on September 9. Nine is the number of Yang, and the sun and the moon should be the same. The name of the popular Jiaqi is suitable for a long time, so we can enjoy the banquet. 'there was a custom of enjoying chrysanthemums and drinking wine in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. In the Tang Dynasty, the Double Ninth Festival was officially held. From then on, the court and the people celebrated the Double Ninth Festival together, and carried out various activities during the festival.
Jiujiu Double Ninth Festival, because it has the same sound with "long time", Jiujiu is the largest number among the numbers and has the meaning of long-term longevity. Moreover, autumn is also the golden season of one year's harvest. The Double Ninth Festival has a profound meaning. People have always had a special feeling for this festival. There are many poems of congratulating Chongyang and chanting chrysanthemum in Tang poetry and Song poetry.
Today's Chongyang Festival has been given a new meaning. In 1989, our country designated September 9 as the old people's day every year. The combination of tradition and modernity has become a festival for the elderly to respect, respect, love and help the elderly. Organizations, groups and streets all over the country often organize elderly people who have retired from their jobs to enjoy the scenery in autumn, or play near the water, or climb mountains to keep fit, so that their bodies and minds are bathed in the embrace of nature; many younger families will also help the elderly to go to the countryside for activities or prepare some delicious food for the elderly.
Chongyang Festival Customs
Ascend height
In ancient times, there was a folk custom of climbing in Chongyang, so the festival is also called "Climbing Festival". It is said that this custom began in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Most of the poems written by the literati in Tang Dynasty are about the custom of Chongyang Festival. Du Fu's seven laws "climbing the heights" is a famous piece about climbing the heights in Chongyang. Generally, the place to climb is to climb mountains and towers.
Eat Chongyang cake
According to historical records, Chongyang cake, also known as flower cake, chrysanthemum cake and five color cake, is made randomly. In the morning of September 9, the ancient people made cakes in September, by using cakes to match their children's heads and saying words to wish their children all the best. The exquisite Chongyang cake should be made into nine layers, like a pagoda, with two lambs on it, so as to conform to the meaning of Chongyang sheep. Some even put a small red paper flag on the double ninth cake and light a candle light. This is probably to use "light the lamp" and "eat cake" instead of "climb the high". It means to use small red paper flag instead of dogwood. Today, there is no fixed variety of Chongyang cake. The soft cakes eaten in Chongyang Festival are called Chongyang cakes.
Drinking chrysanthemum wine
Chongyang Festival is the golden autumn of the year. Chrysanthemums are in full bloom. It is said that chrysanthemum appreciation and chrysanthemum wine drinking originated from Tao Yuanming, a great poet of Jin Dynasty. Tao Yuanming is famous for his seclusion, poetry, wine and chrysanthemum. Later generations had the custom of appreciating chrysanthemums in Chongyang. In the old days, the literati also combined chrysanthemum appreciation with banquet to get closer to Tao Yuanming. In the Northern Song Dynasty, there were many varieties of chrysanthemums in the city. People also call the September of the lunar calendar "the chrysanthemum moon". It is an important part of the festival to watch chrysanthemums on the Double Ninth Festival when chrysanthemums are in full bloom. After the Qing Dynasty, chrysanthemum appreciation was particularly prosperous, and not limited to September 9. But it is still the most prosperous around the Double Ninth Festival.
Fructus Corni
The custom of planting dogwood on the Double Ninth Festival was very common in Tang Dynasty. The ancients believed that on the day of Double Ninth Festival, dogwood can be put into the arms or sachets for shelter and disaster relief, as well as on the head. Most of them are women and children, and some of them are men. It is recorded in Gehong's miscellany of the western classics in the Jin Dynasty. Besides wearing dogwood, people also wear chrysanthemum. Tang Dynasty has been so popular. In Qing Dynasty, the custom of Chongyang Festival in Beijing was to stick chrysanthemum branches and leaves on the doors and windows to "remove ferocity and filth to call for good luck". This is the change of hairpin chrysanthemum on the head. In Song Dynasty, there were also pieces of color cut into dogwood and chrysanthemum for gifts.