Double Ninth Festival

September 9, Monday

The Double Ninth Festival (Chongyang Festival in Mainland China and Taiwan or Chung Yeung Festival in Hong Kong and Macau; Chōyō no Sekku observed on the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese calendar, is a traditional Chinese holiday, mentioned in writings since before the Eastern Han period (before AD 25).

According to the I Ching, nine is a yang number; the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese calendar (or double nine) has too much yang (a traditional Chinese spiritual concept) and is thus a potentially very auspicious date. Hence, the day is also called "Double Yang Festival". It is customary to climb a high mountain, drink chrysanthemum liquor, and wear the zhuyu plant Cornus officinalis. (Both chrysanthemum and zhuyu are considered to have cleansing qualities and are used on other occasions to air out houses and cure illnesses.)

Double Ninth Festival