Chrysanthemum 菊 Double Ninth Day 重阳日

The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is the traditional Chinese Chongyang festival or Double Ninth festival. In the Gregorian calendar, the day usually falls in October. It is a festival during which people eat Chongang cake ( a kind of steamed layered cake with nuts), drink chrysanthemum wine, climb mountains, and pay homage to the elderly. This weekend the Garden celebrates one of China's most iconic flowers—the chrysanthemum—with its very own Double Ninth Day. 

The chrysanthemum, one of the "Four Gentleman" (四君子) of China (the others being the plum blossom, the orchid, and bamboo), is said to have been favored by Tao Qian, an influential Chinese poet.

Julia Yang chrysanthemum arrangement

In an ancient and mysterious book Yi Jing, or The Book of Changes, number "6" was thought to be of Yin character, meaning feminine or negative, while number "9" was thought to be Yang, meaning masculine or positive.

So the number nine in both month and day create the Double Ninth Festival, or Chongyang Festival. Chong in Chinese means "double." Also, as double ninth was pronounced the same as the word to signify "forever," the Chinese ancestors considered it an auspicious day worth celebration.

Julia Yang, founder of The Hua Yuan School of Chinese Flower Arrangement, demonstrated her beautiful art today. Her three chrysanthemum arrangements and those of her students will also be showcased on Sunday in the Garden.

The Garden will have Phoenix Chrysanthemum Tea Service at 2pm on Sunday October 9th.


Drinking Wine by Tao Qian

I made my home amidst this human bustle,
Yet I hear no clamor from the carts and horses.
My friend, you ask me how this can be so?
A distant heart will tend towards like places.
From the eastern hedge, I pluck chrysanthemum flowers,
And idly look towards the southern hills.
The mountain air is beautiful day and night,
The birds fly back to roost with one another.
I know that this must have some deeper meaning,
I try to explain, but cannot find the words.

A great discussion and reading from Columbia University: Asian Topics.