Double Ninth Festival

Old stories of protection

Records place the festival as early as the Warring States era, with historian Wu Jun tracing its customs to the Eastern Han dynasty. One well-known account tells of Huan Jing and his mentor Fei Changfang. Fei warned his pupil of an approaching disaster and instructed him to take his household up a mountain with chrysanthemum wine. Huan obeyed, escaping the calamity that wiped out all his domestic animals at home. Another tale traces the rites to Emperor Gaozu's royal court, where an expelled palace maid named Jia shared inner-palace habits of wearing dogwood and drinking flower wine with ordinary folk.

Mountain walks and floral rites

Heading to high ground is the central custom of the day. People organise hikes, hill races and outdoor picnics, with racing winners receiving wreaths woven from the zhuyu dogwood plant. Both zhuyu and chrysanthemums are valued for their purifying qualities and links to health. Beyond wandering in nature, communities hold flower exhibitions, fly kites and welcome married daughters back for home visits. In modern Taiwan, the date is dedicated to senior citizens, with local authorities presenting small monetary gifts to elderly residents to express community respect and care.

Seasonal cakes and chrysanthemum wine

Festival food reflects wishes for height, longevity and wellness. Bakers prepare steamed Chongyang cakes adorned with miniature paper pennants that symbolise dogwood sprigs, playing on the shared sound between cake and height in Chinese. Chrysanthemum blossoms infuse seasonal tea, home-brewed wine and Japanese sake. In Korea, cooks fry edible flower leaves into savoury pancakes for hillside gatherings. Japanese households celebrate with bowls of chestnut rice and sweet chestnut mochi. Families visiting cemeteries in Hong Kong and Macau bring platters of roast suckling pig and fresh fruit, sharing the meal after offering its essence to the spirits.

Observance across East Asia

Customs vary across different regions. In Hong Kong and Macau, where the day is a statutory holiday, extended families gather at cemeteries to sweep tombs, repaint faded headstone lettering and burn incense sticks. In Japan, the occasion is known as Chōyō or Kiku no Sekku, counted among the five sacred seasonal festivals. It is held on September 9 at Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines to pray for long life. In Korea, the holiday is named Jungyangjeol, marked by dogwood-carrying hikers enjoying picnics and admiring blooming autumn flowers.

How Double Ninth Festival is kept

Families gather in the morning, often packing food, tea and climbing gear. Many travel to hillsides or mountains to hike, race and view autumn blossoms. People pin sprigs of Cornus officinalis dogwood to their clothing or carry it for purification. In cemetery grounds across Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, relatives sweep gravestones, tidy weeds, refresh tomb inscriptions, burn incense and present dishes like roast suckling pig. Afterwards, families eat festival cakes topped with tiny flags, drink chrysanthemum tea or wine, fly kites and spend time together honouring older generations.

When and where

The festival falls on the double-nine date of the lunisolar calendar, usually occurring in October. In Japan, it is observed on September 9 following the solar Gregorian calendar.

The tradition is maintained across China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and Japan, as well as Vietnam and Thailand. Observances are especially prominent on hillside trails, city parks, shrines, temples and ancestral cemeteries.

What Double Ninth Festival means

The I Ching classifies the number nine as yang. Doubling it creates intense yang energy, which ancient tradition treated as both auspicious and potentially hazardous. Ascending mountains, carrying cleansing dogwood and drinking chrysanthemum wine served to balance these energies and protect life. Today, the day symbolises physical wellness, longevity, filial devotion to ancestors and the appreciation of elderly family members.

On the table

• Chongyang cake
• Chrysanthemum wine
• Chrysanthemum tea
• Chrysanthemum sake
• Chestnut rice (kuri-gohan)
• Chestnut mochi (kuri-mochi)
• Chrysanthemum pancakes
• Roast suckling pig

Days Double Ninth Festival is marked

Double Ninth Festival dates: 2026, 2027, 2028

Questions people ask about Double Ninth Festival

See also

HalloweenAn annual observance on 31 October marking the eve of All Saints' Day, rooted in Christian tradition and Celtic heritageMid-Autumn FestivalAn annual harvest festival celebrating family reunions, full moons and mooncakesHanamiA Japanese spring custom of gathering under blooming cherry trees to eat, drink, and celebrate the fleeting beauty of thQingming FestivalA spring custom of sweeping family graves and honouring ancestors across East Asia.

Good reading and sources

• Double Ninth Festival on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.