TheDoubleNinthFestival(Chinese:重九;Pinyin:ChóngjiǔorSimplifiedChinese:重阳,alsoTraditionalChinese:重阳节;Pinyin:ChóngyángjiéorChungYeungFestivalinHongKong),observedontheninthdayoftheninthmonthintheChinesecalendar(October30in2006),isatraditionalChineseholiday,mentionedinwritingsincebeforetheEastHanperiod.
AccordingtotheIChing,nineisayangnumber;theninthdayoftheninthlunarmonth(ordoublenine)hastoomuchyang(atraditionalChinesespiritualconcept)andisthusapotentiallydangerousdate.Hence,thedayisalsocalled"DoubleYangFestival"(重阳节).Toprotectagainstthedanger,itiscustomarytoclimbahighmountain,drinkchrysanthemumwine,andwearthezhuyu(茱萸)plant,Cornusofficinalis.(Bothchrysanthemumandzhuyuareconsideredtohavecleansingqualitiesandareusedonotheroccasionstoairouthousesandcureillnesses.)
DoubleNinthmayhavestartedoutasadaytodriveawaydanger,butliketheChineseNewYear,overtimeitbecameadayofcelebration.Incontemporarytimesitisanoccasionforhikingandchrysanthemumappreciation.Storessellricecakes(糕"gāo",ahomonymforheight高)insertedwithminicolorfulflagstorepresentzhuyu.Mostpeopledrinkchrysanthumumtea,whileafewstricttraditionalistsdrinkhomemadechrysanthemumwine.Childreninschoollearnpoemsaboutchrysanthemums,andmanylocalitieshostachrysanthemumexhibit.Mountainclimbingracesarealsopopular;winnersgettowearawreathmadeofzhuyu.