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Chinese Chong Yang Festival
The 9th day of September in the lunar
calendar is the Chinese Chong Yang Festival
and a happy occasion in autumn. According to
the traditional theory of Yin and Yang, both
the 9th month and the 9th day of the month
belong to Yang, which means positive and
masculine, and Chong means double, thus it
is called Chong Yang. People often gather
for a party, appreciate chrysanthemums, pin
the leaves of Cornus on clothes. And the
custom of climbing mountains and eating a
special cake also features the day.
This custom of climbing mountains can be
dated back as early as West Han Dynasty.
Some old travel notes have it that, people
climbed to mountain peaks not only for
beautiful scenes and poetic inspiration, but
also the avoidance of evil spirits and
disasters.
This practice came from an ancient
folktale. It is said long ago there appeared
a devil of plague in the Ruhe River. People
lay down and died wherever it came up. A boy
named Heng Jing swore to help his neighbors
and fellow people to get rid of it. He
visited many famous mountains to seek a
powerful master. Finally an old Taoist took
him in and taught him how to defeat the
devil. Heng Jing put his whole heart into
study and practice. One day, the Taoist
called him up and said, 'Heng Jing, tomorrow
is the 9th day of September and the devil
will reappear. It is time for you to go home
and stop the devil.' The master also gave
him a pack of leaves of Cornus and a jar of
liquor soaked with chrysanthemums. Riding a
crane, Heng Jing went a great distance back
home in a day. As instructed by his master,
he told his fellow villagers to climb up the
nearby mountain with a Cornus leaf pinned on
their clothes and a glass of chrysanthemum
liquor in hand. When the devil of plague
came up from under the water, it got dizzy
by the scent of Cornus and chrysanthemums.
Heng Jing fought with his master's sword and
killed the devil in a few rounds. People
held parties, drank chrysanthemum liquor to
celebrate it. And the next year, the custom
of mountain climbing became popular among
the villagers.
In the golden September, chrysanthemum
blooms, reminding people of the folktale.
And later a special cake with dates,
chestnuts and meat was made to add more
festivity to the special day.
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