When did the Double Ninth Festival in China start?
About Double Ninth Festival in China Holiday
The Chinese Lunar Calendar brings about a number of annual festivities for Chinese families to take part in; the Double Ninth Festival (known as Chongyang) is one such celebration held with special importance. This holiday is a popular one in the Chinese culture and it is commemorated every 9th day of the 9th month of the Lunar Calendar.
The Double Ninth Festival is one of the five major holidays in China, and it originated in the Warring States Era (475-221 BC). This day is marked to remember and propitiate the God of Heaven, and it was originally encouraged to be celebrated outdoors as people were encouraged to scale high hills or mountains. The amusement and celebration stretches to this day and is intended to relax the body and invigorate the soul.
During this holiday, various activities such as chrysanthemum viewing, eating certain dishes such as the cake made of millet and grains, and drinking wine that is fermented from chrysanthemum flowers are all the normal activities associated with the Double Ninth festival. It is a jubilant festival, which was intended for strengthening the body and soul. Viewing the beautiful landscapes of the mountainous regions helps with the relaxation and leisure embracing the festival making it a time of joy and fulfilment.
Overview of the Double Ninth Festival in China
Originating from ancient China, the Double Ninth Festival – also known as Chongyang Festival, is a celebration of long life, vitality, and health that has grown from a folklore tradition into one of the country’s five biggest festivals. Chinese people living both in the homeland and abroad observe this holiday with hope for longevity, wellness, and success. In recent years, it has become a global phenomenon as an online appreciation holiday with friends and family sending e-cards and gifts to express their love and attention.
History and Origin
The origins of Double Ninth Festival have been quoted in the book Classic of Poetry and it is believed to date back to at least 2,000 years ago. It is believed that this holiday is based on the idea of celebrating the ninth day of the ninth month on the Chinese lunar calendar for a “double ninth”. It is also believed that Double Ninth Festival is connected to traditional Chinese folklore and legends such as “Mr. High and Mr. Ji” and “Broken Bridge”.
The earliest record of Double Ninth Festival appears in Book of Later Han written by Fan Ye in the 5th century. As described in the book, this date is a day to ask Immortals for help and offerings were made to the gods. Later it becomes a day to visit family members, pay respect to ancestors, and enjoy a festive atmosphere. People pray for blessings of longevity in life, and have special activities and traditions even today.
Double Ninth Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth month and was originally celebrated with sacrifices to the gods and ancestral offerings. On this day, people make a special cake, called chiang-yang-bing, which is a mini cake. The glutinous flour cake is folded into a crescent moon-shape or a lotus flower-shape, and represents longevity.
Significance and Meaning
The main theme of the Double Ninth Festival in a Chinese context is about the desire to seek long life. Chinese people hope that this day will be blessed with special power in balancing yin and yang, the two forces of the universe. People also want to enjoy the beauty of fallen chrysanthemums, and appreciate the autumnal harvest with family and relatives. It is also a time to strengthen physical and mental health, establish harmony and peacefulness in the family, and look back at the past while looking forward to the future.
The Chinese believe that chrysanthemums, the flower of autumn and longevity, are a symbol of life, and many people carry this symbol on Double Ninth Festival. It is a reminder to appreciate the gifts of life each day and to celebrate the positive vibes of the season. It is also a chance for people to come together and interact with friends and family and enjoy the freshness and beauty of the autumn season.
Overall, Double Ninth Festival is about hope, gratitude, and a desire to have longevity and health. The festival also focuses on connecting to the natural environment for spiritual growth and well-being.
Traditions and Celebrations
On the Double Ninth Festival morning, people wear a chrysanthemum-shaped hat, drink chrysanthemum tea, and wear chrysanthemum-shaped jewelry. This is done to symbolize the appreciation for the flower while showing respect and reverence for departed ancestors.
During the festival, people go outside for a walk in the park, fly kites to ward off evil spirits, visit and honor their ancestors’ graves, and arrange gatherings with friends and family. Other popular activities include climbing mountains, drinking chrysanthemum wine, writing poems about chrysanthemums and the Double Ninth Festival. In addition, many temples put on performances and hold special ceremonies.
Geographical Spread
In Mainland China, Double Ninth Festival is widely celebrated in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. It is also a big known holiday in other provinces and cities such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hubei, Fujian, Datong, Shandong, Henan and many more.
The wattage of the celebration of Double Ninth Festival varies between regions with multi-cultural flavors. In northwest China, people often join in street singing and dancing activities or storytelling competitions. In southwestern provinces, people go boating down rivers and creeks and offer sacrifices to the gods. While in southeast China, typically people write couplets and paint pictures of chrysanthemums.
Modern Day Observations
Modern-day Chinese families now celebrate Double Ninth Festival with enthusiasm. Visiting family members and paying respect to ancestors are still important aspects of the celebration. Other activities like eating mooncakes, flying kites, drinking chrysanthemum wine, and wearing chrysanthemum-shaped hats and accessories, still remain an integral part of the celebration.
Today the celebration also includes the selling of Ching Yeong (a special cake made of glutinous rice flour), drinking chrysanthemum tea, and making and wearing flower crowns made of chrysanthemum. In recent decades, some cities have organized Double Ninth Festival races or walks to encourage citizens to experience the beauty and freshness of autumn.
Interesting Facts or Trivia
• Chongyang is also translated as “double ninth” as it is the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar.
•9 is the largest single digit number in ancient Chinese numerology, so it means a great symbol of luck and privilege.
• The customary poem or chant that is recited on Double Ninth Festival is called the “Double Ninth Chant” which is nine lines long.
• Eating Ching Yeong is the most popular tradition on this day as it is believed to be good for longevity and health.
• According to some traditional customs, people should wear dogwood or chrysanthemum crowns and hats on Double Ninth Festival.
• Buddhist temples offer food on this day to honor the nine-headed bird who is said to protect the health of humans.
• According to heritage, the celebration of Double Ninth Festival is to recognize that there are still 23 days left until winter.
• Chinese people exchange gifts and birthday wishes for people who are born on the ninth day of the ninth month.
Holiday Wishes
1. Wishing you good luck and health on Double Ninth Festival.
2. May you have good health all year round.
3. May the gods bring you a life of joy and success.
4. Have a long life on the Double Ninth Festival!
5. Wishing you a relaxed holiday and all the blessings on the Double Ninth Festival!
Holiday Messages
1. On the Double Ninth Festival, may your life have lasting good fortune.
2. Wishing you a wonderful Double Ninth Festival filled with lots of joy, bliss, and success.
3. May you have eternal life on this Double Ninth Festival!
4. Happy Double Ninth Festival! Wishing you longevity, strength, and good health.
5. May the gods give you a life filled with fortune and happiness on this Double Ninth Festival.
Holiday Quotes
1. “The chrysanthemum will bloom on the ninth day and the worms will all die. ” – An ancient Chinese saying
2. “Climbing high mountains, drinking chrysanthemum wine, being surrounded by the theme of chrysanthemum all day long — everything is chrysanthemum for the Double Ninth Festival.” – Anonymous
3. “An autumn climb of the high mountain, a joyful feast and the gift of a cup of chrysanthemum wine.” – Li Bai
4. “The Double Ninth Festival, is the thankfulness for the September harvest, for the bright future.” – Anonymous
5. “Golden mums are in bloom, and the fragrance fills the air on Double Ninth Festival.” – Anonymous
Other Popular Holiday Info
The traditional celebration of Double Ninth Festival is strictly associated with the flower of the season – chrysanthemums. This beautiful flower was first seen in the wilderness of China and is one of the longest celebrated flowers in the world.
This flower of longevity is believed to encourage spiritual growth and enhance well-being. Chrysanthemums are an integral part of the Double Ninth Festival, symbolizing staunchness, longevity and the season’s beauty. It is believed that drinking chrysanthemum tea brings luck and health, and many people celebrate with a steaming cup of chrysanthemum tea.
Besides the popular main themes, Double Ninth Festival has evolved in modern times to recognize those who are born on the ninth day of the ninth month of the Qiqiao Festival (the original, non-festival version of the Double Ninth Festival) with gifts or birthday wishes. Similarly, modern-day couples in a steady relationship may also exchange special gifts or cards to each other as a gesture of appreciation for their relationship.
In conclusion, the Double Ninth Festival is a tradition that has evolved with the times by adding pieces of modern culture while maintaining its ancient roots. It scholars and historians recognize this day to commemorate ancient trivia and be reminded that it is a celebration of long life and good health.
Double Ninth Festival in China Also Called
Chongyang Festival.
FUN FACT:
In year 206 BC – 220 AD, Double Ninth Festival in China is celebrated on October 29 for the first time.HOLIDAY CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, please click here to contact us!

The divine matchmaker in Chinese mythology – Old Man Under the Moon – who helps couples find love
In China, people celebrate Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14, but there are at least three holidays and cultural traditions centered on romantic love. A figure that ties together these other holidays is the Old Man Under the Moon – Yuexia Laoren in Mandarin, or Yuelao for short – who is believed to be a divine matchmaker. In many cultures across the world, including China, parents traditionally arranged their children’s marriages, and love was not necessarily their main concern. In pre-modern China, daughters had little say over their marriage partners. Moreover, they were seen as belonging more to their future husbands’ families than to their birth families. Under these conditions, unmarried girls would pray to the Old Man Under the Moon…

The divine matchmaker in Chinese mythology helps couples
In China, people celebrate Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14, but there are at least three holidays and cultural traditions centered on romantic love. A figure that ties together these other holidays is the Old Man Under the Moon – Yuexia Laoren in Mandarin, or Yuelao for short – who is believed to be a divine matchmaker. In many cultures across the world, including China, parents traditionally arranged their children’s marriages, and love was not necessarily their main concern. In pre-modern China, daughters had little say over their marriage partners. Moreover, they were seen as belonging more to their future husbands’ families than to their birth families. Under these conditions, unmarried girls would pray to the Old Man Under the Moon…
10 sets of data decoding China’s transformation in the new era
BEIJING, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) — China has made historic achievements in economic and social spheres in the new era. Considering these accomplishments, Xinhua has compiled data and facts showcasing advancements in 10 key areas over the past decade. These insights unveil the driving forces behind the sustained growth of the world’s second-largest economy. RAPID ECONOMIC EXPANSION China’s gross domestic product (GDP) more than doubled, rapidly expanding to 121 trillion yuan (about 17 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2022 from 59.3 trillion yuan in 2013, with an average annual growth rate of over 6 percent. China has emerged as a key stabilizing force and growth booster for the world economy. Over the past decade, the share of the Chinese economy in the…