Why is the Chongyang Festival is the Festival of the Elderly?

A, Chongyang Festival, for the first nine days of the ninth month of the lunar calendar each year, is the traditional festival of the Chinese people, but also the traditional festival of respect for the elderly.

Second, the Chongyang Festival origin:

1, "Chongyang" the name of the origin, named after the ancient book "I Ching" in the "yang lines for nine". In the "I Ching", the "six" as the number of yin, the "nine" as the number of yang, but also for the "extreme number", referring to the sky high as "nine heavy "The first nine days of September, when the sun and the moon are both at their peak, is the ninth day of the month. The ninth day of September, the sun and the moon are nine, is said to be "two nine heavy", so it is called "heavy nine", and at the same time is the number of two yang together, so it is called "heavy sun". Zhang Dai of the Ming Dynasty wrote "night boat" cloud: "nine for the number of Yang, its day and the moon and should be, so it is called "Chongyang".

2, "nine" for the old yang, is the number of yang pole, two yang pole number heavy together, nine to one, one yuan, the beginning of the renewal of all things. Therefore, the ancients believed that the sun is an auspicious day to celebrate. In ancient times, there is the custom of drinking and praying for longevity. In folklore, and because "nine" in the number is the largest number, and "nine" and "long time" homophonic, so given a long time, life long, healthy and long-life symbols.

3, the ancients believed that the nine suns are auspicious days. In ancient times, the folk in the Chongyang Festival have climbed high to pray for blessings, autumn tour to enjoy chrysanthemums, wear dogwood, sacrifices to the gods and ancestors and drinking feasts to seek longevity and other customs. Nowadays, it has added the connotation of respecting the elderly, enjoying feasts and honoring the elderly on the day of Chung Yeung. The two important themes of today's Chrysanthemum Festival activities are to enjoy the autumn and to be grateful to the elderly.

Three, Old Age Day:

1, July 1, 2013 from the implementation of the "Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly" (referred to as the "Elderly Law") in the provisions of the "ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar each year for the Old Age Day", the 2013 Chongyang Festival (October 13) will be China's first statutory Old Age Day.

2. When it comes to the Chung Yeung Festival, the most widely known or Wang Wei's poem: "Being alone in a foreign land is a foreign guest, and I miss my relatives twice as much at every festive season." In fact, in 1989, China will be the first nine days of the ninth month of the lunar calendar officially designated as "China's Elderly Festival", nine nine nine suns to honor the elderly, in addition to having to go home, of course, there is filial piety to Mom and Dad, in the country's efforts to promote the Chongyang Festival is more and more by the attention of the whole society.

Expanded

(a) According to existing historical evidence, the origin of the Chongyang Festival can be traced back to ancient times. Lu Shi Chunqiu - Jiqiu Ji, contained in the ancient people in September when the harvest of crops, sacrifices to the emperor, ancestors, in order to thank the emperor, ancestors, grace and virtue of the activities. This is the original form of the Chongyang Festival that existed as an autumn harvest festival.

(2) The Chongyang Festival began in ancient times, took shape in the Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period, became popular in the Western Han Dynasty, and flourished after the Tang Dynasty. "Chongyang Festival" name records, seen in the Three Kingdoms era, to the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the atmosphere of the festival is growing stronger, with the custom of chrysanthemum appreciation, drinking, doubly popular with the literati and writers; to the Tang Dynasty was listed as a national holiday, and since then has been inherited by successive generations to the present day.

(3), Chongyang ancestor worship folklore along thousands of years, is an ancient folklore with profound significance. Chrysanthemum and New Year's Eve, Qingming, and the Chinese New Year are known as China's four traditional ancestor worship festivals.

(4), Chongyang Festival in the historical development and evolution of a variety of folklore into one, carrying a rich culture and connotation. Folklore concept of "nine" is the largest number in the number, there is a long life meaning, sends people to the elderly healthy and long life blessing. 1989, the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar has been designated as "Respect for the Elderly Day", advocating that the whole society to establish respect for the elderly, respect for the elderly, love for the elderly, and to help the elderly culture. On May 20, 2006, the Chongyang Festival was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list by the State Council.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Chongyang Festival

Baidu Encyclopedia - Older People's Festival