Although I usually blog about seasonal shift, sometimes it’s interesting to look at traditional Chinese festivals. Chong Yang Festival 重陽節, also known as the Double Ninth Festival, is celebrated on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month. This year, 2024, that falls on today, Friday October 11th. This is also a great reminder that the Chinese calendar is both a lunar and a solar calendar. For example, traditional holidays such as Double Ninth Festival and the Lunar New Year are celebrated on days of the lunar cycle. However, seasonal changes, such as the 24 Seasonal Nodes, are calculated based on the solar calendar.
The Double Ninth festival has its roots in traditions that date back over 2,000 years. It's a time for people to celebrate longevity and pay respects to the elderly, as the festival has come to symbolize good health, long life, and respect for the aged. Traditional activities include:
Climbing mountains: This is the most iconic custom. Climbing is symbolic of warding off disease and seeking higher aspirations.
Drinking chrysanthemum wine: Chrysanthemum flowers are considered to have cleansing and health-boosting properties. Like other medicated liquors, chrysanthemum flowers are steeped in some sort of grain alcohol to produce this drink.
Wearing Shan Zhu Yu 山茱萸 leaves: Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus; Japanese dogwood) was believed to have protective powers against illness and evil spirits.
Visiting graves: Double Ninth is also a time to remember and honor deceased ancestors, much like the Qingming Festival 清明節 in spring.
Relationship Between Chong Yang Festival and East Asian Medicine
Chong Yang Festival is closely linked with East Asian medical principles that emphasize balance and health maintenance. The autumn season, when the festival is held, marks a transitional period in nature, which according to traditional medicine, is a critical time to focus on strengthening the body and preventing illness.
Climbing mountains reflects the belief in promoting physical health and the prevention of ailments through exercise.
Chrysanthemum: The consumption of chrysanthemum wine during the festival is significant as chrysanthemum is known to have cooling, anti-inflammatory, and detoxifying properties. It is often used in formulas to treat colds, fever, and eye disorders.
Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus officinalis): The practice of carrying or wearing Shan Zhu Yu leaves also reflects East Asian medicine’s preventive approach to health. Shan Zhu Yu is used for treating Kidney and Liver vacuity, strengthening yang, and warming the body to guard against autumn-related ailments.
These traditions emphasize the broader East Asian medical approach to seasonal health, prevention, and maintaining a harmonious balance between the body and the environment.
