Long, long ago, there was a village in China where a terrible plague was spreading. The villagers were dying in large numbers, and there seemed to be no cure for the disease.
One day, a wise old man named Zhi Yong told the villagers that he had a solution to end the plague. He said that on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, they should climb a mountain, drink菊花酒 (chrysanthemum wine), and wear插茱萸 (cornel leaves) on their heads.
The villagers followed Zhi Yong's advice, and on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, they climbed the mountain, drank the chrysanthemum wine, and wore the cornel leaves on their heads. Miraculously, the plague stopped spreading, and the villagers were saved.
From then on, the ninth day of the ninth lunar month became known as the Double Ninth Festival, or Chongyang Festival, a time for people to climb mountains, drink chrysanthemum wine, and wear cornel leaves to ward off evil spirits and pray for good health and longevity.
This is just one version of the story of the Double Ninth Festival. There are many other stories and legends associated with this traditional Chinese holiday.
