Legend has it that the Chung Yeung Festival dates back to ancient times, when people held harvest sacrifices in autumn to thank heaven and earth and ancestors for their kindness. In the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, although the specific date of the Double Ninth Festival has not yet been determined, there are already customs such as climbing on the ninth day of the ninth month of September and drinking chrysanthemum wine. These customs were closely related to the people's pursuit of longevity and warding off evil spirits at that time.
In the Han Dynasty, the custom of the Chung Yeung Festival gradually became popular. Legend has it that Mrs. Qi, the concubine of Liu Bang, the ancestor of the Han Dynasty, was murdered by Empress Lu, and a maid in front of her, Jia, was expelled from the palace and married a poor man. Jia brought Chongyang's activities to the people. Jia said to people: In the palace, on the ninth day of the ninth month of September every year, you must wear dogwood, eat tent bait, and drink chrysanthemum wine in order to live a long life. Since then, the customs of Chongyang have spread among the people. This legend may not be historically true, but it reflects the influence and spread of the Chung Yeung Festival among the people in the Han Dynasty.
During the Three Kingdoms period, Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, mentioned the date and related customs of the Double Ninth Festival in a letter to Zhong Xuan, indicating that the Double Ninth Festival had become an important festival at that time. Tao Yuanming, a literati of the Jin Dynasty, wrote in a poem: "After the old man's village, the old man Gu Ji Xiao, invited me to Tian's house." The green tree village is close to the edge, and the green mountain Guo is oblique outside. Open the noodle garden, and talk about the wine. Stay until the Double Ninth Day, and come to chrysanthemums. This shows that climbing and appreciating chrysanthemums have become important customs of the Chung Yeung Festival. In the Tang Dynasty, the Double Ninth Festival was officially designated as a festival, and its status and influence were further enhanced.
So, what exactly is the significance of Chung Yeung Festival?
In fact, there are two main meanings of the Chung Yeung Festival, namely:
1. Chung Yeung Festival is a symbol of respect for the elderly, filial piety and gratitude
On this day, people will go home to visit the elderly, wishing them health and longevity, embodying the traditional virtues of respecting, respecting and loving the elderly. At the same time, it is also a day of nostalgia and gratitude for ancestors, and people will express their thoughts and admiration for their ancestors through activities such as worshipping and respecting ancestors.
2. Chung Yeung Festival also symbolizes unity and peace
On this day, people hold various activities such as climbing the heights, viewing chrysanthemums, drinking chrysanthemum wine, and planting dogwoods to pray for peace and reunion. These activities not only enhance people's physical fitness, but also promote communication and unity among people.
In addition, Chung Yeung Festival is closely associated with poetry, culture and art. Many ancient literati and writers left behind well-known poems and masterpieces on the day of the Double Ninth Festival, such as Wang Wei's "Memories of Shandong Brothers on September 9th", which not only depicted the beautiful scenes of the Double Ninth Festival, but also expressed people's love for life and longing for the future.
Of course, in modern society, the meaning of Chung Yeung Festival is constantly being given new connotations. For example, in 1989, China designated the Chung Yeung Festival as the "Day of the Elderly" or "Respect for the Elderly", aiming to advocate the whole society to establish an atmosphere of respecting, respecting, loving and helping the elderly. This has shifted the significance of Chung Yeung Festival from traditional sacrifices and celebrations to a more realistic social issue, that is, to pay attention to and solve the life and welfare problems of the elderly.
Therefore, in general, the significance of the Chung Yeung Festival is multi-layered, it is not only a traditional festival, but also a festival that carries rich cultural connotations and profound social values. On this day, we should cherish our ancestors, be grateful for life, pay attention to the elderly, pray for peace, and at the same time, inherit and carry forward the traditional virtues and cultural essence of the Chinese nation.