Double Ninth Festival

重 阳 节

The 9th day of the 9th lunar month is the traditional Chongyang Festival or Double Ninth Festival is also called "Cornel Festival" and "Chrysanthemum Festival", which has a history of more than 1,700 years. It usually falls in October in the Gregorian calendar.

农历的九月初九是重阳节，又名“茱萸节”，“菊花节”。这是一个很古老的节日，距今已有1700多年的历史。通常在公历（阳历）的十月份。

In an ancient and mysterious book Yi Jing (The Book of Changes), number "6" was thought to be of Yin character, meaning feminine or negative, while number "9" was thought to be Yang, meaning masculine or positive. So the number nine in both month and day creates "the Double Ninth Festival" or "Chongyang Festival".

因为古老的《易经》中把“六”定为阴数，把“九”定为阳数，在农历的九月初九那天，日月并阳，两九相重，故而叫“重阳”，也叫“重九”。

In 1989, the Chinese government decided the Double Ninth Festival as Seniors' Day. The traditional culture of Double Ninth and that of the modern were finely combined. It becomes a festival of respecting for the elderly people, and loving, helping the old.

在1989年，我国把每年的农历的九月初九定为老人节。传统与现代巧妙地结合，使重阳节成为尊老、敬老、爱老、助老的节日。

The ninth month also heralds the approach of winter. It is a time when the living need warm clothing, and filial Chinese sons and daughters extended this to make the festival a time for providing winter clothes for their ancestors. The Double Ninth Festival, therefore, also became an occasion to visit the graves of dead family members.

九月也预示着冬天的来临。天气渐冷，人们需要准备衣服保暖，孝顺的子孙由此思及祖先，便将这天作为给先祖们烧冬衣的时间。因此，重阳节也成为了祭奠死去的家人的节日。

The Customs of Double Ninth Festival

重阳节习俗

Climbing Mountains

登高

The 9th lunar month, with clear autumn sky and bracing air, is a good time for sightseeing. So people, both ancient and present, love to go sightseeing this month.

阴历9月这天，正值秋高气爽，适合旅行观光。所以，一到金秋九月，不论男女老少，都喜欢在此时旅行登高。

Apart from expelling bad luck and disasters, climbing mounting also indicates “climbing to a higher position”, and it is also an important reason why ancient people pay much attention about this custom. Another reason that climbing mountains are valued by people, especially by the elderly is that it has a meaning of “climb to a longevous life”. Also, for this reason, people believe that climbing mountains can make people live a more longevous life.

登高可以驱除霉运，还意指“晋升高位”。这也是古人为什么很重视这一传统习俗。登高之所以受人重视，特别受老人重视，是因为人们认为登高还意寓“登顶长寿”。除此之外，人们还相信登山能使人健康长寿。

It is really refreshing to climb mountains and enjoy the beauty of nature at this bright and clear time in autumn. Climbing mountains on Double Ninth Festival was already prevailing in the Tang Dynasty, and a lot of poems were devoted to this custom.

在九月登高既是件惬意放松的事，又是件可以欣赏到自然之美的幸事。重阳节登高，在唐代就开始盛行了，古时也有很多跟重阳登高有关的诗歌。

Eating Double Ninth Cake

吃重阳糕

Though the name of "Gao" started from the Six Dynasties, the cakes had already existed in Han Dynasty, which was called "Er" in China at that time. It is made of rice flour, which is classified into two types: paddy rice flour and millet rice flour. In September, the millet is ripe. It is regarded as the food just in season, which is offered to ancestors as sacrifices.

尽管“糕”这个名称源于六朝，但这种东西东汉就有了。那是人们称之为“饵”。饵用米粉做成，一般有两种：谷米粉和粟米粉。九月，粟米程度，它是当季的食物，通常会献给祖先作为祭品。

In China, "gao(cake)" has the same pronunciation with "gao(height)". Mountains are high, so eating cake can, by a stretch of imagination, take the place of going for the Double Ninth Cake, but super cakes will have as many as nine layers, like a tower.

在中国文化中，“糕”和“高”同音，所以吃糕也就代表了“登高”的意思，祝愿百事俱高。重阳糕没有固定的样式，但通常做成九层，看起来像一座塔一样。

Family Get-together

家人团聚

The Double Ninth Festival is also a time for family get-togethers. It is an occasion to remember one's ancestors, the sacrifices they made and the hardships they underwent. Often, family outings are organized during which people search to renew their appreciation of nature and to reaffirm their love and concern for family members and close friends.

重阳节还是一个家庭团聚的节日。大家纪念先祖，感念他们的牺牲和遭遇的苦难。很多家庭也会一起出行，以感受大自然的魅力，也增进和亲友们的关系。

Enjoy Chrysanthemum Flowers

赏菊花

Chrysanthemum originated in China and was recorded in some Chinese books as early as the 5th century B.C. Chrysanthemum blossoms in the ninth lunar month have a beautiful name of “flower of longevity”.

菊花产自中国，最早记载始于公元前5世纪。菊花在阴历九月盛开，它有一个美称“长寿之花”

Drinking Chrysanthemum Flower Wine

饮菊花酒

The chrysanthemum flower wine is unique in brewing. In ancient times, people usually picked fresh chrysanthemum flowers and leaves on the 9th of the 9th lunar month and brewed the mixture of them and grains into the wine, which would not be drunk until the same day next year. The wine is said to have wholesome effects on sharpness of the eye, alleviation of headache, drop of hypertension, reduction of weight and removal of stomach trouble, thus contributing to longevity. It is said that the drinkers of the chrysanthemum wine would be free from evil and have strong physique against cold weather.

菊花酒的酿造十分独特。古时，人们在九月九日采摘新鲜的菊花和菊花叶，然后把它们和谷粒一起酿制成酒。等到来年的同一时候再打开品尝。据说，菊花酒具有清神明目，减肥降血压，治疗胃病的功效。因此，可以饮菊花酒可以使人长寿。另外，饮菊花酒还有驱邪抗寒的效用。

Wearing Dogwood

插茱萸

The dogwood is a species of evergreen arbor; it is heavy-scented plant whose fruit is edible and stock and leaves can be medicinal materials. They can expel insects, get rid of the humidity, help digestion, and cure inner heat. It puts out purple flowers in spring and bears, in autumn, purplish-brown fruit that is sour, puckery, and mild in nature.

茱萸为长青乔木。该植物具有浓香，它的果实可食用或干存。它的叶子可以用作药材。茱萸具有驱虫去湿，助消化去内热的功效。春季它开紫色的花，然后开始孕育果实。到了秋天，就结出了紫褐色，味酸，带皱，质感柔软的果实。

Flying a paper crane

放纸鸢

Paper Crane is just kite. According to our traditions and customs, flying kites usually happen at the Qing Ming Festival. But Tomb Sweeping Festival is during the rainy season which obviously is not suit for flying a kite, while Double Ninth Day owns clear autumn sky and crisp air making kite flying a best outdoor activity.

纸鸢类似于风筝。据中国传统习俗，人们通常在清明节放风筝。但每逢清明，也是雨纷纷的时节，因而并不适合放风筝。相比之下，重阳节这天，秋高气爽，最适合户外放风筝。

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