"Suitable for a long time" in Chongyang, 1999
The frost fell on October 23 and the sun rose on the 25th. Last year's Double Ninth Festival, the day before the cold dew, this year's Double Ninth Festival, two days after the frost, the difference is more than half a month. Although it is the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, the climate is completely different. The day before the cold dew is the last day of the autumnal equinox. At this time, the phenology is "the water begins to dry", the moisture in the air decreases, and the climate begins to dry. Two days after the frost fell, it was the time when the air was so cold and dew became frost. At this time, the minimum temperature in northern China had dropped below zero, and Guangzhou in the South also ushered in a cool autumn wind.
However, no matter what the climate is, the cultural connotation of "Chongyang" remains unchanged, and various customs derived from it are still handed down through the ages.
In terms of the four seasons of yin and Yang, spring and summer belong to Yang, autumn and winter belong to Yin, and the Double Ninth Festival appears in autumn. Why is it called "Chongyang"?
This is because the date of Chongyang is the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar. The number of months and days are both nine. The number of "Nine" is the largest number of Yang in traditional culture, so it is called "Double Ninth" or "Double Ninth".
"Chongjiu" means "Jiu Jiu", which is homophonic with "Jiu Jiu Jiu". Life is short, and long-term is the most important thing. Therefore, the ancients thought that the Double Ninth Festival was a auspicious day.
As Cao Pi, the emperor of Wei Wen of the Three Kingdoms, said in his book "sending chrysanthemums to Zhongyao on the ninth day of the lunar calendar," when the year comes to the moon, suddenly it falls on September 9. Nine is the number of Yang, and the sun and the moon should be the same. The custom praises its name and thinks that it is suitable for a long time, so it is necessary to enjoy the banquet
The reason why Cao Pi sent chrysanthemum to his old minister Zhong Yao was that people thought that chrysanthemum had the function of "supporting body and prolonging life" since ancient times. "Shennong herbal classic" said that chrysanthemum "long service benefit blood gas, light body, aging tolerance, prolong the year.". In addition, the ancients believed that wearing dogwood on September 9 had the same effect.
Ge Hong, a native of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, said in the miscellaneous records of Xijing: "Madame Qi's servant Jia Peilan On September 9, wearing Cornus officinalis, eating Peng baits and drinking Juhua wine will make people live a long life. Ju Hua Shu, and the stem and leaf, miscellaneous millet brewing, to September 9, the next year, ripe, drink Yan, so called Juhua wine
Xijing Zaji records many anecdotes of the Western Han Dynasty. The lady Qi in the above-mentioned records is the favorite Ji of Liu Bang, the emperor of the Han Dynasty. Jia Peilan is her maid. According to this record, the custom of September 9 was "to wear Cornus officinalis, eat bait and drink chrysanthemum wine" at first, with the aim of praying for longevity.
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, climbing custom evolved.
Wu Jun, a member of the Liang Dynasty in the Southern Dynasty, recorded in his book Xu Qi Xie Ji: "Huanjing in Runan has been studying with Fei Changfang for many years. Changfang says that on September 9, when there should be disaster in your family, you should go in a hurry, so that the family can make their own bags, hold dogwood to tie their arms, and climb high to drink chrysanthemum wine. This disaster can be eliminated. The whole family climbs mountains
According to this legend, the purpose of climbing high on September 9, wearing Cornus officinalis and drinking chrysanthemum wine is to eliminate disasters and avoid disasters. Later, it was changed to insert dogwood. For example, Wang Wei's poem "remembering Shandong brothers on September 9th" says: "I am a stranger in a foreign land alone, and I miss my relatives every holiday. I know from afar where my brother ascends the heights, and there is only one less dogwood. "