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Chongyang Festival
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Chongyang Festival (Double-nine Festival)
In China, the number 9 is regarded as a yang number, as opposed to 6, which is a yin number. So, on the ninth day of the ninth month every year since ancient times, the Chongyang (or “double-nine”) festival has been celebrated.
The Chongyang festival is joyous celebration for the Chinese people so everyone looks forward to September the 9th with anticipation. However, since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, senior members of society perhaps look forward to it the most since the Chongyang festival has been designated as Senior People’s Day; a day when the older members of society can have some fun.
All Chinese Festivals have traditional activities, and Chongyang is no different. Chongyang is principally an outdoor festival and among the activities practiced in it’s celebration are walking and hill climbing, eating chongyang cakes, appreciating chrysanthemum blooms and drinking chrysanthemum wine, wearing cornels, and more.
Here are some details on a few of the customs of the Chongyang festival.
Climbing hills
People started to climb hills in honour of the Chonyang festival in ancient times and the practice continues strongly today. There are no rules on how high people should climb; just reaching some altitude is enough. For example, many people climb hills or high pagodas on this special day.
Eating Chongyang cakes
Another custom that has been preserved since ancient times is the eating of Chongyang cakes, which are also known as flower cakes, chrysanthemum cakes, five-color cakes and some other names. Nowadays, all of the soft cakes eaten in honour of the Chongyang Festival are all called as Chongyang cakes.
Appreciating chrysanthemums and drinking chrysanthemum wine
Since the Chongyang Festival is in the middle of autumn, chrysanthemums are in full bloom, so appreciating chrysanthemums and drinking chrysanthemum wine are naturally popular activities this time.
Popular wisdom also says that Tao Yuanming, a very famous poet in the Jin Dynasty loved looking at chrysanthemums and drinking chrysanthemum wine very much, was responsible for popularising this practice. Poets and high-level officers who were influenced by Tao Yuanming’s beautiful poetry accompanied Chongyang feasts by appreciating chrysanthemums and drinking chrysanthemum wine because they felt it brought them closer to the great man. This lead to the popularisation of the tradition and so it as has been passed down the generations ever since.
Wearing cornels and chrysanthemum
The custom of wearing cornels and chrysanthemums on the arm, head or in the pocket, became very popular during the Tang Dynasty. People believed that by wearing these plants, they would exorcise and ward off evil spirits.
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All contributors to this article
- "i would like to visit mainland china I am an indian I would like to travel from kualalumpur to handzhou and to kualalampur"
- posted by ssnimpex at 2010-12-11 10:34:00[Closed for answering]
do I need an prior chinese visa or chinese visa at arraival in china
- benn replied at 2011-3-5 18:20:00
So what you need is cash - tour - visa
- yewkiang replied at 2011-3-5 6:53:00
Go to the Chinese Embassy in KL to apply for a visa
- james%5Fchina replied at 2010-12-15 21:44:00
You should apply for a Chinese Visa in advance,the policy now is very strict,you can not get a landing visa,espicallly for some country.
- joyce replied at 2010-12-14 3:59:00
Our professional travel advisor will contact you and deal with your questions about tours.
- joyce replied at 2010-12-14 3:57:00
Hi, you need to get a chinese visa in advance before you come to China and you can visit the following page to get more information about Hangzhou.
http://www.chinatravel.com/zhejiang/hangzhou/
And if you want to travel by air, you can visit this page:
http://www.chinatravel.com/china-flights/
- "what time"
- posted by hala at 2009-11-4 4:46:00[Closed for answering]
what the exactely time of spring festival this year because i want to go there in this time
- chinatravel replied at 2009-11-6 3:31:00
Hello Hala, Spring Festival 2010: From February 13 (Spring Festival Eve) to February 28 (the Lantern Festival). You can send us an e-mail at iriszhong@chinatravel.com and we can arrange your own Spring Festival tour.
- "Green card china"
- posted by ikira at 2009-11-3 1:27:00[Closed for answering]
Hi! There, I just want to ask about how can i get the Green Card china? I am married to the chinese girl for almost 13 years now, but i am still always getting the L visa. It is very hard to get the visa some times. Before the Biejing Olympics i go to shen zhen to extend my visa( L visa ) and i ask to the officer there some help ( she is the girl and wearing the eyeglass, she is the only one who is wearing that eyeglass and seating in the front) to extend my visa and she said they cannot extend my visa and she said she didnt gave me the visa and she said she dont care if i cannot get the visa here in china. When i go to the supervisor and talk to him to extend my visa, he go to the inside of the office and seat in there to ignore me. Did you allowed to do like that here in china? In my home land and the other country they priorities the married people to there country. My son is already 12 years old, but still i always need to get the visa every month, every 6 months or every year. I wish you can understand me.. I just want to stay with my family as long as i can stay with them... Thanks, Ikira
- tumizhu replied at 2010-4-26 21:52:00
Hi there .If you married a chinese girl ,you can get a Permanent Resident in china.and your son can get a chinese ID.If you want any help,plz contact me Rita tel:15120028956,MSN:tumizhu@hotmail.com P.S I am in beijing.
- leomagic replied at 2009-11-6 3:54:00
Four groups of people are eligible for permanent residence: high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses that promote China''s economic, scientific and technological development or social progress; foreign citizens who make large direct investments in China; persons who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China; and people who come to China to be with family, such as husbands and wives, minors dependent on their parents, and senior citizens dependent on their relatives. Obviously, you are one of the groups, you can see the Measures for the Administration of Examination and Approval of Foreigners'' Permanent Residence in China to see if you are up to the mustard. http://www.docstoc.com/docs/1078105/
- "Chrysanthemum wine"
- posted by ACANALIZO at 2009-10-26 8:00:00[Closed for answering]
Where can chrysanthemum wine be purchased in the USA? I have tried all over for the last few years with no sucess.
- apple replied at 2009-10-28 20:34:00
Hello, I don''t think chrysanthemum wine can be purchased in the USA.
- "Best Travel time"
- posted by dstanton at 2009-7-17 20:35:00[Closed for answering]
When would you say the best mild weather travel time to China ?
- lim lai kuan replied at 2009-8-22 6:25:00
spring
- lim lai kuan replied at 2009-8-22 6:24:00
oct
- shyoto replied at 2009-7-19 19:52:00
I think autumn would be the best.
- "What should I do if I lose my passport?"
- posted by teresa616 at 2008-9-7 23:18:00[Closed for answering]
What should I do if I lose my passport before I leave China? And where can I apply for a new passport?
- intrepi replied at 2010-5-18 22:34:00
You should contact your nearest government consulate and they should be able to provide you with a temporary or replacement passport and any other documents you may need. Telephone your embassy first to get any information you might need unless you are in Hong Kong or near to your embassy''s location. It would also be advisable to inform the nearest Police or authorities that you have lost your passport so they will advised of it and may provide you with some advice on where to go, who to see or what you should or should not do. It might be difficult for you to explain how your passport was found and you never reported it missing or lost so just report it.
- janina replied at 2008-9-7 23:20:00
If you lose your passport, tell your guide immediately. Your guide will accompany you to the Public Security Bureau, where they will issue you a certificate. You then must apply for a new passport in person with this certificate at the nearest embassy of your country. When you get your new passport, you need to return to the Public Security Bureau to apply for a new visa, so that you can leave China.
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