Chongyang Festival(重陽節), also called the Double Ninth Festival(九九節), falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month(陰曆九月初九). It is named as Chongyang Festival because according to the Chinese astrology(中國古代佔星術), nine is a 'Yang' character meaning masculine or positive and 'Chong' in Chinese means double. As both the month and the day are nine, it got this name. Double Ninth may have originated as a day to drive away danger.
In China, nine has the similar pronunciation(發音相似) with the word meaning 'forever', symbolizing longevity(象徵長壽). Therefore, the Chinese government set the day as the Seniors' Day(老人節).
The Legend of Double Ninth Festival
重陽節的傳說
The story can be dated back as early as East Han Dynasty, there lived an old Taoist named Fei Changfang, who had become an immortal after many years of practicing Taoism. A young man named Huan Jing, he was worship him and was learning the magic arts from Fei Changfang. The old Taoist took him in and taught him how to defeat the devil. Heng Jing put his whole heart into study and practice.
相傳，在東漢時期，有一位神通廣大的道人名叫費長房。他習道多年，終於長生不老。一個叫桓景的青年很崇拜他，並想追隨他學習道術。費長房就收他為徒，教他學本事。桓景也潛心學習，刻苦修煉。
One day, the two were climbing a mountain. Fei Changfang suddenly stopped and looked very unpset. He told Huan Jing:" on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, disaster will come to your hometown. You must go home immediately. Remember to make a red bag for each one of your families and put a spray of cornel on every one. Then you must all tie your bags to your arms, leave home quickly and climb to the top of a mountain. Most importantly, you must all drink some chrysanthemum wine, Only by doing so can your families avoid this disaster."
有一天，在爬山的時候，費長房對桓景說：「在九月初九這天，你們全家將有一場大災難降臨，你要提早回家做好準備。」桓景聽了，十分驚慌，連忙跪下求師傅教給他躲避災難的辦法。費長房說：「在九月九這一天，你多做幾個紅色的布袋，裡面放進茱萸，並纏到胳膊上，再帶些用菊花浸泡的酒，攜全家老小到一個高坡上飲酒。只有這樣，你才能避開大禍。」
On hearing this, Huan Jing rushed home and asked his family to do exactly as his teacher said. The whole family climbed a nearby mountain and did not return until the evening. When they got back home, they found all their animals dead, including chickens, sheep, dogs and even the ox.
聽到此言，桓景飛奔回家，讓家人認真遵照他師傅的要求去做。到了九月初九這一天清晨，桓景帶著家人來到附近的高坡，平安度過了這一天。到了晚上，桓景和家人一起回到家中一看，不覺大吃一驚，家裡的牛羊雞犬都死了。
Since then, climbing a mountain, carrying a spray of dogwood and drinking chrysanthemum wine became the traditional activities of the Double Nith Festival, to avoid evils spirits and misfortunes.
從此，重陽登高、插茱萸、飲菊花酒相沿成習，流傳了近兩千年，人們以此方式來驅邪避難。
重陽節的習俗表達
Climbing Mountains（登高）
The 9th lunar month, with clear autumn sky and bracing air, is a good time for sightseeing. So people, both ancient and present, love to go sightseeing this month.
陰曆9月這天，正值秋高氣爽，適合旅行觀光。所以，一到金秋九月，不論男女老少，都喜歡在此時旅行登高。
Apart from expelling bad luck and disasters, climbing mounting also indicates 「climbing to a higher position」, and it is also an important reason why ancient people pay much attention about this custom. Another reason that climbing mountains are valued by people, especially by the elderly is that is has a meaning of 「climb to a longevous life」. Also for this reason people believe that climbing mountains can make people live a more longevous life.
登高可以驅除黴運，還意指「晉升高位」。這也是古人為什麼很重視這一傳統習俗。登高之所以受人重視，特別受老人重視，是因為人們認為登高還意寓「登頂長壽」。除此之外，人們還相信登山能使人健康長壽。
It is really refreshing to climb mountains and enjoy the beauty of nature at this bright and clear time in autumn. Climbing mountains on Double Ninth Festival was already prevailing in the Tang Dynasty, and a lot of poems were devoted to this custom.
在九月登高既是件愜意放鬆的事，又是件可以欣賞到自然之美的幸事。重陽節登高，在唐代就開始盛行了，古時也有很多跟重陽登高有關的詩歌。
Enjoying Chrysanthemum Flowers（賞菊花）
Chrysanthemum originated in China and was recorded in some Chinese books as early as the 5th century B.C. Chrysanthemum blossom in the ninth lunar month have a beautiful name of 「flower of longevity」.
菊花產自中國，最早記載始於公元前5世紀。菊花在陰曆九月盛開，它有一個美稱「長壽之花」
Drinking Chrysanthemum Flower Wine（飲菊花酒）
The chrysanthemum flower wine is unique in brewing. In ancient times，people usually picked fresh chrysanthemum flowers and leaves on the 9th of the 9th lunar month, and brewed the mixture of them and grains into the wine, which would not be drunk until the same day next year. The wine is said to have wholesome effects on sharpness of the eye, alleviation of headache, drop of hypertension, reduction of weight and removal of stomach trouble, thus contributing to longevity. It is said that the drinkers of the chrysanthemum wine would be free from evil and have strong physique against cold weather.
菊花酒的釀造十分獨特。古時，人們在九月九日採摘新鮮的菊花和菊花葉，然後把它們和穀粒一起釀製成酒。等到來年的同一時候再打開品嘗。據說，菊花酒具有清神明目，減肥降血壓，治療胃病的功效。因此，可以飲菊花酒可以使人長壽。另外，飲菊花酒還有驅邪抗寒的效用。