What are the customs of the Double Ninth Festival? Six must-know folk activities

What are the customs of the Double Ninth Festival? The Double Ninth Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar every year and is one of China's traditional festivals. Next, let’s take a look at the customs and activities of the Double Ninth Festival.

What are the customs of the Double Ninth Festival?

Climb

Because there is a folk custom of climbing heights on the Double Ninth Festival, the Double Ninth Festival is also called the Climbing Festival. The custom of climbing heights on the Double Ninth Festival is a long-standing activity. From Li Bai's "The Qingqiu Festival on Leyouyuan", Li Shangyin's "I feel uncomfortable in the evening, so I drive to the ancient plain" and Wang Wei's "I look at my brothers climbing the mountain from afar, and there is one less person wearing dogwood branches", we can get a glimpse of the style of climbing the mountain on the Double Ninth Festival.

Chrysanthemum Appreciation

The Double Ninth Festival falls in the golden autumn when chrysanthemums are in full bloom, so there is a custom of appreciating chrysanthemums on this day. This custom originated from Tao Yuanming, a great poet in the Jin Dynasty. Tao Yuanming was famous for his seclusion, his poetry, his wine, and his love of chrysanthemums. Later generations followed his example, and thus the custom of appreciating chrysanthemums on the Double Ninth Festival came into being. In Kaifeng, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, the custom of appreciating chrysanthemums on the Double Ninth Festival was popular. At that time, there were many varieties of chrysanthemums with various shapes and appearances. People also call the ninth month of the lunar calendar the "Chrysanthemum Month". During the Double Ninth Festival, when chrysanthemums bloom proudly in the frost, viewing chrysanthemums has become an important part of the festival.

Wearing Cornus officinalis

There is a custom of wearing dogwood on the Double Ninth Festival. Dogwood is an important symbol of the Double Ninth Festival, so it is also called the "Dogwood Festival." People believe that the ninth day of the ninth lunar month is an unlucky day with many disasters, so people like to wear dogwood to ward off evil and seek good luck on the Double Ninth Festival. Therefore, Cornus officinalis is also called "the evil-repellent". Cornus officinalis has a strong fragrance and has the effects of expelling insects, removing dampness, and expelling wind evil. It can also eliminate food stagnation and treat cold and heat.