The Double Ninth Festival (Chinese: 重九; pinyin: Chóngjiǔ, also Traditional Chinese: 重陽節; pinyin: Chóngyángjié or Chung Yeung Festival in Hong Kong) dated on the ninth day of the ninth month in Chinese calendar, is a traditional Chinese holiday, mentioned in writing since before the East Han period. Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: 汉语拼音; Traditional Chinese: 漢語拼音; Pinyin: HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n), also known as scheme of the Chinese phonetic alphabet (Simplified Chinese: 汉语拼音方案; Traditional Chinese: 漢語拼音方案; Pinyin: HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n fāngàn), while pin means spell(ing) and yin means sound(s)), is a system of romanization (phonemic notation... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets. ... Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: 汉语拼音; Traditional Chinese: 漢語拼音; Pinyin: HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n), also known as scheme of the Chinese phonetic alphabet (Simplified Chinese: 汉语拼音方案; Traditional Chinese: 漢語拼音方案; Pinyin: HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n fāngàn), while pin means spell(ing) and yin means sound(s)), is a system of romanization (phonemic notation... The Chinese calendar (Traditional Chinese:農曆; Simplified Chinese: 农历; pinyin: nónglì) is a lunisolar calendar incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. ... The traditional Chinese holidays have been part of Chinese tradition for thousands of years; they are an essential part of Chinese Culture. ... The Han Dynasty (Traditional Chinese characters: 漢朝, Simplified Chinese characters: 汉朝, pinyin Hàncháo 202 BC - AD 220) followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. ...

According to the I Ching, nine is a yang number, ninth day of the ninth lunar month or double nine, has too much yang and is thus a potentially dangerous date. Hence, the day is also called "Double Yang Festival" (重陽節). To protect against the danger, it is customary to climb a high mountain, drink chrysanthemum wine, and wear a plant named zhuyu (茱萸). Both chrysanthemum and zhuyu are considered to have cleansing qualities and are used to air out houses and cure illnesses. Alternative meaning: I Ching (monk) The I Ching (Traditional Chinese: 易經, pinyin y jīng; Cantonese IPA: jɪk6gɪŋ1; Cantonese Jyutping: jik6ging1; alternative romanizations include I Jing, Yi Ching, Yi King) is the oldest of the Chinese classic texts. ... Look up yang in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up yang in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Species Chrysanthemum aphrodite Chrysanthemum arcticum Chrysanthemum argyrophyllum Chrysanthemum arisanense Chrysanthemum boreale Chrysanthemum chalchingolicum Chrysanthemum chanetii Chrysanthemum crassum Chrysanthemum glabriusculum Chrysanthemum hypargyrum Chrysanthemum indicum Chrysanthemum japonense Chrysanthemum japonicum Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium Chrysanthemum mawii Chrysanthemum maximowiczii Chrysanthemum mongolicum Chrysanthemum morii Chrysanthemum okiense Chrysanthemum oreastrum Chrysanthemum ornatum Chrysanthemum pacificum Chrysanthemum potentilloides Chrysanthemum shiwogiku Chrysanthemum...

Double Ninth may have started out as a day to drive away danger, but, like the Chinese New Year, over time it became a day of celebration. Today it is an occasion for hiking and chrysanthemum appreciation. Stores sell rice cakes (糕 "gāo" a homonym for height 高) inserted with mini colorful flags to represent zhuyu. Most people drink chrysanthumum tea, a few strict traditionalists drink homemade chrysanthemum wine. School children learn poems about chrysanthemum, and many cities will host a chrysanthmum exhibit. Mountain climbing races are also popular; winners get to wear a wreath made of zhuyu. Chinese New Year decoration in Londons Chinatown Hand-painted Chinese New Years poetry pasted on the sides of doors leading to peoples homes, Lijiang, Yunnan, China. ...

This is an often quoted poem about this holiday:

《九(jiǔ)月(yuè)九(jiǔ)日(rì)憶(yì)山(shān)東(dōng)兄(xiōng)弟(dì)》 王維

獨(dú)在(zài)異(yì)鄉(xiāng)為(wèi)異(yì)客(kè)，

每(měi)逢(féng)佳(jiā)節(jié)倍(bèi)思(sī)親(qīn)。

遙(yáo)知(zhī)兄(xiōng)弟(dì)登(dēng)高(gāo)處(chù)，

遍(biàn)插(chā)茱(zhū)萸(yú)少(shǎo)一(yī)人(rén)

Double Ninth, Missing My Shantong Brothers - Wang Wei (Tang Dynasty) Wang Wei (王維) (701 - 761), sometimes titled the Poet Buddha, was a Tang Dynasty Chinese poet, musician, painter and statesman. ... For the band, see Tang Dynasty (band). ...

As a lonely stranger in the strange land,

Every holiday the homesickness amplifies.

Knowing that my brothers have reached the peak,

All but one is present at the planting of ZhuYu.

See also

• Qingming Festival, the other day of the year to pay respect to the dead.