September 9
Choyo (重陽), Doble Yang
“Choyo / 重陽” means two yang numbers. September 9th has a double 9.
In times past in China, people used to say odd numbers were yang (lucky) numbers, and 9 is the extreme of the yang numbers, so it is called “Choyo (Double Yang)”.
Good Luck Brings Bad Luck
However, Chinese people also used to think that good luck often brings bad luck with it, so they had a seasonal festival for eliminating evil and invoking long life.
Chrysanthemums are a symbol of long life, so people drank sake with floating chrysanthemum petals in it on this day.
Seasonal Festival of Chrysanthemum in Japan
This custom came to Japan in the early Heian period (around AD 800). Chrysanthemum-viewing parties were held at the Imperial Court.
This is also called “The Chrysanthemum Festival (Kiku-no Sekku / 菊の節句)” or “The Chrysanthemum Party (Kiku-no Utage / 菊の宴)”.
Category : text @en
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