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1、Culture Insider: 6 things you may not know about Double Ninth FestivalThe 9th day of the 9th lunar month is the traditional Chongyang Festival, or Double Ninth Festival, which falls on Oct 9 this year.In an ancient and mysterious book Yi Jing, or The Book of Changes, number 6 was thought to be a Yin
2、 character, meaning feminine or negative, while number 9 was thought to be Yang, meaning masculine or positive. Therefore, the number nine in both month and day create the Double Ninth Festival, or Chongyang Festival.Chong in Chinese means double. Also, as double ninth was pronounced the same as the
3、 word to signify forever, both are Jiu Jiu, Chinese ancestors considered it an auspicious day worth celebration. Thats why ancient Chinese began to celebrate this festival long ago.Here are 6 things you may not know about Double Ninth Festival.1.Wearing cornel twigs (Dogwood)The cornel (dogwood) is
4、a species of evergreen arbor, which is a 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
5、 is sour and mild in nature.The custom of wearing cornel twigs (dogwoods) was already very popular in the Tang Dynasty (618-907); an imperial edict made it an official day off for common people. Ancient people believed that planting cornel twigs on Double Ninth Festival could prevent diseases and av
6、oid disasters. They also wore the cornel twigs on their arms or heads or put them in sachets. Most people that follow the custom are women and children, and in some places men also wear them. During the Song Dynasty, people sent each other colorful silk cut into cornel twigs or chrysanthemum and wor
7、e them.2.Enjoying chrysanthemum flowersChrysanthemum originated in China and was recorded in some Chinese books as early as the 5th century BC. The flower was introduced as imperial flower to Japan during the Tang Dynasty. Then it was introduced to Britain in the 12th century, to the continent of Eu
8、rope in the 17th century and to the US in the 19th century. Also known as yellow flower, chrysanthemum is of varied species in the composite family. Though its florescence lasts long, this perennial herb usually begins to bloom in the 9th lunar month, lending a festive flavor to the Double Ninth Day
9、. Thats why the month is also referred to as the month of chrysanthemum.The flower was favored by poets through the ages, because it is one of the only flowers that bloom in late autumn. It is said that Tao Yuanming, a famous poet of the Jin Dynasty, grew many species of chrysanthemum while he lived
10、 as hermit, and the flower, when in full bloom, drew many of Taos relatives and friends. Huang Chao, leader of the peasant uprising in the Tang Dynasty, wrote many poems about chrysanthemum, which were compiled into an anthology of chrysanthemum and are often quoted even now. Du Fu, a great Tang Dyn
11、asty poet, wrote more than ten poems singing the praises of the flower.Chinese folks were fond of enjoying chrysanthemum on the Double Ninth Day long before. Chrysanthemum blossoms in the ninth lunar month have the beautiful name of flower of longevity. The custom of wearing chrysanthemum appeared i
12、n the Tang Dynasty and was very popular throughout the time afterwards. The entrances of some taverns in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) were decorated with the flowers on the day, which was supposed to incite customers desire for wine. Chrysanthemum displays were usually held immediately after the day
13、in some regions of China in the Qing Dynasty. People in Beijing began to stick chrysanthemums on doors and windows to get rid of the bad luck and bring in the good ones, which is an alteration of the custom of wearing chrysanthemum on peoples heads. At these displays people might enjoy chrysanthemum
14、 flowers, take part in poem-composing competitions or watch painters drawing chrysanthemum flowers. The display was often lively with a sea of visitors.3.Eating Double Ninth cakeDouble Ninth cake is also known as chrysanthemum cake or flower cake. It dates back to the Zhou Dynasty (the 11th century
15、256 BC). It is said that the cake was originally prepared after autumn harvests for farmers to have a taste of what was just in season, and it gradually became the cake for people to eat on the Double Ninth Day.The cake was usually made of glutinous rice flour, millet flour or bean flour. In the Tan
16、g Dynasty, its surface was usually planted with a small pennant of multi-colored paper and bore at its center the Chinese character ling (order). The Double Ninth cake in the Song Dynasty was usually made with great care a few days before the Double Ninth Day, its surface covered with colored pennants and inlaid with Chinese chestnuts, ginkgo seeds, pine nut kernels and pomegranate seeds.It was a nice festive present for relatives or friends. In the Ming Dynas
