What is the significance of Chung Yeung Festival?

The significance of the Chongyang Festival includes honoring the elderly, respecting ancestors, and giving thanks.

The Chongyang Festival embodies the fine traditions of the Chinese nation of filial piety, thinking of one's relatives and being cautious of one's parents, by honoring one's ancestors, respecting one's elders and respecting one's behavior. Since ancient times, the Chinese people have respect for their ancestors, the concept of prudence and customs, with the custom of sacrificing to the ancestors on New Year's Day, and through filial piety to the elders, thanksgiving to show filial piety, not forgetting the root. This is also a manifestation of the traditional farming society and agricultural civilization extremely revered ancestral experience. Therefore the Chongyang Festival is also known as the Festival of Respect for the Elderly and the Festival of the Elderly.

As an ancient farming nation, our country has accumulated deep clan feelings during its long historical development, and it is customary to sweep the graves and pay homage to ancestors on some major festivals to express the nostalgia for the deceased ancestors. On Chung Yeung Festival, people are also accustomed to honoring their ancestors. On the other hand, honoring the elderly on Chongyang Festival is the most important theme of this festival.

Introduction of the historical origin of Chongyang Festival:

The origin of Chongyang Festival can be traced back to the ancient Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. At that time, there were folk customs such as climbing mountains and ascending heights, inserting dogwoods and drinking chrysanthemum wine on the day of Chongyang Festival. With the passage of time, these customs gradually evolved into the traditional customs of Chongyang Festival. The Chongyang Festival, also known as the Double Nine Festival, falls on the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar every year. This festival has been widely practiced in China since ancient times, with rich cultural connotations and diverse customs.

Besides traditional customs, Chongyang Festival is also associated with some historical figures and stories. According to legend, the story of Hengjing, who ascended to a high altitude to avoid epidemics on the day of Chung Yeung Festival during the Eastern Han Dynasty and eventually succeeded in exorcising the plague, is one of the most famous Chung Yeung Festival stories. This story not only inherits the bravery and wisdom of Hengjing, but also gives the Chongyang Festival the symbolic meaning of exorcising evil spirits and avoiding epidemics.

Overall, the Chongyang Festival, as an important festival in traditional Chinese culture, reflects the importance people place on family, health and longevity. By passing on and promoting the traditional customs and cultural connotations of the Chongyang Festival, we can better understand and feel the profoundness of Chinese culture.