International: Chung Yeung Festival
Sunday, October 18, 2026
The Chung Yeung Festival, also known as the Double Ninth Festival or Chongyang Festival, is a traditional Chinese observance celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. The name derives from the ancient Chinese philosophical text I Ching, where nine is considered a yang number; the ninth day of the ninth month has a double yang, hence 'Chung Yeung.' The festival carries deep cultural significance rooted in the Han Dynasty, with the earliest known records of its customs appearing during that period. It is a day dedicated to climbing mountains, honoring ancestors, and warding off misfortune. The festival was traditionally associated with the belief that the double yang energy could bring harm, leading to protective practices such as ascending heights and wearing zhuyu (dogwood) branches to dispel evil spirits and prevent illness.
History
The Chung Yeung Festival traces its origins to the Han Dynasty, with the earliest written records found in ancient Chinese texts describing folk customs of climbing heights and carrying dogwood branches. The most famous legend associated with the festival dates to the Eastern Han period, when a man named Huan Jing was warned by a Taoist master that a plague would strike his village on the ninth day of the ninth month. Following the master's advice, Huan Jing took his family to the top of a mountain and hung dogwood branches, returning to find that all the livestock in their village had perished while they survived. This legend established the tradition of mountain climbing and wearing dogwood as protective rituals. Over centuries, the festival evolved to incorporate ancestor veneration and became a day for family outings.
How It's Celebrated
The festival is observed by climbing mountains or hills, a tradition believed to protect against misfortune and bring good health. Many people carry dogwood branches or wear them on their clothing, and chrysanthemum flowers are prominently enjoyed through flower viewing, wine drinking, and tea making. Families visit ancestral graves to clean tombstones and make offerings of food, incense, and paper money. Special foods associated with the festival include chongyang cake, a steamed多层 cake made with rice flour, red dates, chestnuts, and almonds. In modern times, the day is also observed as Senior Citizens' Day in some Chinese communities, emphasizing respect and care for the elderly through community senior appreciation events and family gatherings.