Chung Yeung Jit

This festival takes place on the ninth day of the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar and actually commemorates two occasions.

Chung Yeung Jit is also known as "Chung Gau" (Chung means Double and Gau means nine). Being the ninth day of the ninth month, it is the DOUBLE NINE, also means forever and is the day on which Chinese people go to the hillsides to tend their ancestors graves, make sacrifices of special paper money and paper winter clothing, after which a picnic is held.

It also commemorates the day during the Han Dynasty (B.C. 221 - 206) when a Taoist soothsays, Fei Chang-fei advised a scholar, Huan Jing, to escape to the hills with his family to avoid an impending disaster. Huan Jing took the advice and went to the hillside with his family, taking food and chrysanthemum wine. When returned home all his livestock dead from a plague and realized the soothsayer had saved the lives of himself and his family.

From that date, Chinese people have celebrated by taking food and chrysanthemum wine to picnic on the hillsides. It is also the time when chrysanthemums are at their finest and parties would be held to admire the flowers, which are the symbols of good health and longevity.

As the number nine is regarded as being auspicious, therefore feasts, ascending a height, country walk and flying kites on the hill are part of the features of the day, which people believe will bring good luck.

flying kites