"Double Ninth Day" falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. According to the Chinese custom, the number of "nine" belongs to the positive principle "yang", thus the day is also known as "Chung Yang" or "Double Yang". Since the word "nine" is homophonous with the word for "long time" in Chinese, this number has also come to represent longevity. In 1966, the government designated "Double Ninth Day" as "Senior Citizen's Day" to continue the Chinese tradition of revering the elderly.

      The day is traditionally celebrated by activities including hill-climbing, drinking chrysanthemum wine, hanging dogwood sprays, and other customs handed down from the Han Dynasty story of Huan Ching and Fei Chang-fang (1). The custom of hill climbing was originally practiced to avoid disaster. Nowadays, it has become rather an activity for strengthening the body and health, and is celebrated in Taiwan by numerous mountain-hiking activities.

      Since Double Ninth Day arrives at the time when the chrysanthemum flowers are in full bloom, the literary men often spend this day enjoying the elegance and beauty of these flowers. The chrysanthemum wine must be prepared and allowed to ferment for one year before it may be served on next year Double Ninth Day. It is said that drinking this fragrant wine will cure illness, ward off evil spirits and bring longevity.

      The strong northeasterly winds that buffet Taiwan starting in September creates ideal conditions for flying kite, which has become a popular activity during the period. The kites come in a variety of different forms, ranging from simple square kites to elaborate five or six meters long centipede and dragon kites, and popular cartoon characters, all vying with the other in beauty in the sky.

      "Double Nine cakes" are eaten on the day to symbolize good luck and the "ascendance of all things" since the word "cake" is homophonous with the word for "high" in Chinese. The cake is made from flour and sugar, stuffed with chestnuts, pine nuts and other types of nut, steamed and crowned with a colorful paper flag stuck on the top.

      Through the ages, the Double Ninth Day has evolved into a rich and varied occasion, with hill climbing and kite flying activities to strengthen the body and health; and the designation of Senior Citizens' Day to invigorate the traditional Chinese values of filial piety and caring for the elderly.

 Note 1: Huan Ching and Fei Chang-fang
In Han Dynasty, a man named Huan Ching was studying immortal arts from the Taoist monk Fei Chang-fang. One day Fei Chang-fang warned Huan Ching that on the ninth day of the ninth moon, there would be a great calamity striking his home. To avoid the disaster, Huan must sew a cloth bag and fill it with dogwood branches, hold it in hand and ascend with his family to the mountain and drink chrysanthemum wine. Huan heeded Fei's warning and led his family to the mountain on that day. When they returned home at dusk, Huan discovered that all his livestock had been slaughtered.