The ninth day of the ninth month is a special day in the Chinese lunisolar calendar. According to the Classic of Changes (易经 Yi Jing), ‘nine’ is a Yang number, and the ‘Double Ninth Day’ is considered auspicious and should be celebrated as a ‘Double Yang Festival’ (重阳节).

Yongzheng falangcai cup Tutuhaoyi
porcelain cup with falangcai decoration, Yongzheng period (1732), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei
Qianlong enamel chrysanthemum Tutuhaoyi
porcelain bowl with falangcai decoration, Qianlong period (1736–95), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei
chrysanthemum Qianlong porcelain bowl Tutuhaoyi
porcelain bowl with falangcai decoration, Qianlong period (1736–95), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

The Chinese tradition on this special day is to climb up a mountain, drink chrysanthemum-flavoured wine and wear zhuyu (茱萸) sprigs (some say Cornus Officinalis) on the head or around arms. It is also customary to visit family’s ancestral graves, cleaning the area, laying out food offerings and burning incense sticks. This practice is believed to be able to establish spiritual connection with ancestors. The special day has gradually become a festival for paying respect to the elderly who will be offered Chongyang rice cake 重阳糕 and accompanied to appreciate chrysanthemum flowers, which is right in season.

五老图清代汪圻绘
Five Elderlies 五老图, ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, Wang Qi (汪圻 ? –? during Qing dynasty), courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei
chrysanthemums falangcai bowl Qianlong Tutuhaoyi
porcelain bowl with enamelled decoration, Qianlong period (1736–95), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art, photograph by Celeste Mitchell
光緒大雅齋款渣斗 台北故宫藏
spittoon with overglaze enamelled decoration, Guangxu period (1875–1908), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

A famous poet named Wang Wei (王维 699/701? –761) from Tang dynasty (618–907) wrote in his poem ‘Reminiscence of My Brothers Living at the East of the Mountain on Ninth of September 九月九日忆山东兄弟’:

…I know that in the far distance, my brothers are high up on a hill, wearing zhuyu all over and yet I am absent.

(…遥知兄弟登高处，遍插茱萸少一人)

Cleveland Miniature Vases Birds and Chrysanthemums
pair of miniature vases with overglaze enamelled decoration, Qianlong period (1736–95), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
乾隆青花水波花卉折沿洗
porcelain basin with underglaze blue decoration, Qianlong period (1736–95), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

Read here for other Chinese festivals written by Dr Yibin Ni – Double Fifth Festival.