The Double Ninth Festival（the ninth day of the ninth lunar month）重陽(yáng)節(jié)
農(nóng)歷九月初九，兩陽(yáng)相重，故叫“重陽(yáng)”，重陽(yáng)節(jié)又是“老人節(jié)”。“九月重陽(yáng)，金風(fēng)送爽”，重陽(yáng)自然是登高遠(yuǎn)眺的好時(shí)節(jié)，在這一天，人們佩帶茱萸，攜酒登山，暢游歡飲。當(dāng)然，“重陽(yáng)登山”不僅僅是因?yàn)榍锔邭馑暮锰鞖?，做為重?yáng)節(jié)一大重要習(xí)俗，“登山”源于一個(gè)“為民除害”的民間傳說(shuō)。關(guān)于這個(gè)因“民間英雄”而興起的節(jié)日，雖然大部分人都可用漢語(yǔ)來(lái)講述，但若想把它送出國(guó)門(mén)之外，講給老外聽(tīng)，似乎還是難了那么一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)。來(lái)吧，閱讀一下以下文字，相信會(huì)對(duì)您有所幫助。
The "Chong Yang Festival" is celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, and it is as such known as the Double Ninth Festival.
Origins: The festival began as early as the Warring States Period (475 221 BC).
According to the yin/yang dichotomy that forms a basis to the Chinese world view, yin represents the elements of darkness and yang represents life and brightness. The number nine is regarded as yang. The ninth day of the ninth month is a double yang day, hence the name "Chong Yang Festival". (Chong means "repeat" in Chinese.) The ninth month also heralds the approach of winter. It is a time when the living need warm clothing, and filial Chinese sons and daughters extended this to make the festival a time for providing winter clothes for their ancestors. The Double Ninth Festival, therefore, also became an occasion to visit the graves of dead family members. Clothes made of paper would then be burnt as offerings.
Climbing mountains: On the Double Ninth Festival, people customarily climb mountains, appreciate chrysanthemum flowers, drink chrysanthemum wine, and eat double-ninth cakes. The Double Ninth Festival is also the "Old Men Festival". Old people are especially meant to improve their health by taking part in the activities on the day of the festival.
