In China, numbers are important; they carry meaning well beyond counting. The number six, for example, is seen as lucky because it sounds like the word for “smooth”, while people will avoid saying the number four as it’s similar to the word for “death”.
Today, people are fond of the number nine, especially young lovers, as it’s pronounced like the Chinese word for “forever”. But in ancient times, feelings about the number were mixed, and “double nine” was seen as inauspicious.
‘UNLUCKY’ DOUBLE NINE
In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang are the two primal forces that make up the universe. Yang is associated with qualities like brightness and strength, while yin relates to darkness and coldness.
According to Dr Jingqiu Zhan, Senior Teaching Associate at XJTLU’s Chinese Cultural Teaching Centre, people in ancient China considered odd numbers as yang and even numbers as yin. “The number nine represented the extreme of yang,” she says.
The more yang energy the better, right? Well, no.
“There’s a Chinese saying: Extremes reverse themselves. It means when something reaches its peak, it will begin to decline, heading in the opposite direction. Therefore, an excess of yang energy was detrimental and ominous,” Dr Zhan explains.
The ninth day of any lunar calendar month and the entire ninth month were considered yang, and when two yang numbers coincided, it was called chongyang, or “double yang”.
“Around the end of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 8), the concept that the ninth day of the ninth lunar month was unlucky was deeply rooted in people’s minds,” Dr Zhan says. “This belief led to the emergence of the Chongyang Festival.”
REACHING NEW HEIGHTS
China’s Chongyang Festival – also known as the Double Ninth Festival, or simply “Double Nine” – falls annually on the ninth day of the ninth month on the lunar calendar. One of the most popular customs around this time is to climb a mountain or hill.
“Double nine spells a double dose of misfortune. So, people seek refuge in the mountains,” Dr Zhan explains, adding that the tradition also signifies a wish to ascend to greater heights, physically and spiritually. “Climbing mountains is believed to bring good health and fortune. The higher the climb, the better the fortune.”
People in ancient China would wear chrysanthemums and dogwood in their hair, believing that the herbs helped ward off evil spirits and illnesses. Chrysanthemums represent longevity and resilience, as they thrive late in the year, and it was also common for people to drink chrysanthemum tea and display the flower in their homes.
Another festival tradition is flying kites, which in addition to being a recreational activity is also believed to “release bad luck and dispel calamities”.
REDEFINING TRADITION
The Chongyang Festival evolved over the centuries. In the Tang dynasty (618-907), it was officially designated as a holiday, and it became a time for family reunion. People would visit their parents and climb mountains with relatives.
“The festival used to be about avoiding bad luck and keeping away evil, but over time it became more associated with filial piety,” says Dr Zhan. Filial piety, or “xiao” in Chinese, is a Confucian value that emphasises the respect and care that children should have for their parents and elders. “In the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), Emperor Kangxi held a banquet for 1,000 elders to promote filial piety during the Chongyang Festival,” she says.
Nowadays, people show respect to their elders by spending time with them, buying gifts, and preparing food for the festival. In some parts of the country, people will traditionally eat crab on the day.
“As the weather cools, people will prepare a set of warm clothes for their parents, bring them some delicious crab, and serve a cup of warm ginger tea,” Dr Zhan says. “They hope to ensure that the elderly will spend the autumn and winter in warmth and peace.”
Climbing mountains remains a festival custom to this day, not least, she adds, because it is “an opportunity for people to enjoy the beautiful autumn scenery with their family”.
By Xinmin Han
Proofread by Patricia Pieterse
Social Media Editor: Shinuo Xu and Yajun Ma
Supervisor: Qiuchen Hu
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