The Chongyang Festival: Why the Ancients Insisted on Climbing High

The pharmacy at the entrance to my neighbourhood had put chrysanthemum tea in the most prominent spot, with a hand-written note taped by the till: “Chongyang—show your member card for a free packet.” Only then did it dawn on me that Chongyang was near. In 2026 the Chongyang Festival falls on October 18, the ninth day of the ninth lunar month.

Why it is called “Chongyang”

The ancients treated odd numbers as “yang.” Days whose month and day were both odd—the first of the first month, the third of the third, the fifth of the fifth, the seventh of the seventh, the ninth of the ninth—were called days of “doubled” numbers. Nine is the greatest yang number, and two nines together give “Chongyang,” also called “Chongjiu.” Japanese descriptions of the seasonal festivals note too that China regarded odd numbers as auspicious yang days, with the ninth of the ninth, where the nines stack, held especially important.

Climbing high, zhuyu, chrysanthemum wine

The best-known Chongyang custom is climbing high. The story of Huan Jing, circulated after the Eastern Han, says that on the ninth day of the ninth month a pestilence was approaching, and the immortal Fei Changfang told him to take his family up the mountain, wear zhuyu and drink chrysanthemum wine. Whether the story is true does not matter; what matters is that it ties “high places” to “keeping clear of harm.” Zhuyu has a pungent scent, and the chrysanthemum, blooming as it does in autumn, is taken as a symbol of long life.

Three countries, three ways of marking it

Japan calls the day “Chōyō no Sekku,” also “Kiku no Sekku,” the Chrysanthemum Festival: people drink chrysanthemum sake, and there is “kiku no kisewata”—covering chrysanthemums with cotton overnight, then wiping the body the next day with the dew-dampened cotton to pray for health and long life. Korea’s Jungyangjeol likewise involves climbing high, admiring chrysanthemums and drinking chrysanthemum wine. China later designated Chongyang as a festival for the elderly, with “double nine” evoking “lasting and long.”

In the almanac, the days around Chongyang are often treated as options for climbing high, honouring ancestors or visiting relatives. To pick by date, the site’s Huangli (Almanac) Date Selection can filter a range for days suited to climbing high or visiting relatives.

To pick out days for climbing high and visiting relatives, 占卜迷指’s process is: state clearly what you want to ask → the system recommends a method → it casts the chart, interprets it and exports.

Autumn has reached this point; the dew knows before people do.

Information current as of October 9, 2026.

Disclaimer: This article covers traditional culture and folklore and is intended for entertainment and self-reflection only. It is not medical, psychological, investment, legal or marriage advice. Do not submit ID numbers, detailed addresses or other sensitive personal information. If you experience persistent insomnia, anxiety or physical discomfort, please see a doctor or consult a professional.

Sources

• 2026 Gregorian and lunar calendar comparison table (ninth day of the ninth lunar month = October 18) (Hong Kong Observatory)
• Chōyō no Sekku (the Chrysanthemum Festival) (Japan Doll Association)
• Jungyangjeol (Korean Double Ninth Festival) (Wikipedia · supplement)