| |
Learn Chinese from the comfort of your home, with the best teachers in Beijing!
Enjoy the beauty and depth of the Mandarin language. The course starts on November 16th - a few vacancies are left, so hurry up and register!
|
|
| |
|
|
Or call us - USA & Canada: 1-888-563-7370, UK: 0845-869-7519,
Worldwide: 972-3-7554141 |
|
|
The Double Ninth Festival, also named Chong Yang Festival, is held on the ninth day of the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar - that is why it's called Double Ninth Festival.
The festival began as early as the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). It is based on the theory of Yin and Yang, the two opposing principles in nature. Yin is the feminine, negative principle, while Yang is masculine and positive.
 |
In ancient times, people believed that all natural phenomena could be explained by Yin and Yang. Numbers were also related to this theory. Even numbers belong to Yin and odd numbers belong to Yang.
The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is a day when the two Yang numbers meet. Thus, it is called Chong Yang. Chong means double in Chinese. Double ninth is pronounced the
|
same as the word "forever" (Jiu Jiu), which gave it a deeper spiritual meaning.
The festival is held in the golden season of autumn, at harvest-time. The bright clear weather and the joy of bringing in the harvest make for a festive, happy atmosphere. The Double Ninth Festival is usually perfect for outdoor activities.
The custom of ascending to a certain height, in order to avoid epidemics, has started a long time ago. Therefore, the Double Ninth Festival is also called Height Ascending Festival. Usually, the people will climb a tower or a mountain. Ancient literary figures have left many poems depicting the activity. This is an often-quoted poem:
Even today, people still swarm to the mountains on the day of the festival to enjoy Mother Nature's final burst of color before she puts on her dull winter cloak.
 |
On this day, people will appreciate chrysanthemum, drink chrysanthemum wine, eat Double Ninth Cake and carry a spray of dogwood. The Double Ninth Festival is a time when the chrysanthemum blooms. China boasts diversified species of chrysanthemum and people have loved them since ancient times. The chrysanthemum is often used as a Chinese herbal medicine. People in ancient times believed that, in addition to detoxification, chrysanthemum could drive away evil spirits. Other than that, the Chinese word for wine is Jiu, a homonym of the Chinese word for "long", symbolizing longevity.
|
 |
Another special food for this festival is Double Ninth Cake. The Chinese word for cake is Gao, a homonym of the Chinese word for "high", symbolizing progress, promotion at work and improvement in life. In addition, mountains are high, so eating cakes can replace the custom of climbing. There are many ways to prepare the Double Ninth Cake. Super cakes will have as many as nine layers, and will take the form of a tower.
The dogwood is a plant with a strong fragrance, often used as a Chinese herbal medicine. People in ancient times believed it could drive away evil spirits and prevent one from catching a cold. The custom of carrying a spray of dogwood on the Double Ninth Festival is slowly dying out and many people, especially the young people in the
|
cities, don't even know what dogwood looks like.
In 1989, the Chinese government declared the Double Ninth Festival as Seniors Day. Since then, all government units, organizations and streets communities organize an autumn trip each year for retired people. On this day, the younger generation brings its elders to suburban areas or sends them special gifts.
|
|
 |
Weekly Chinese Words |
 |
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Chong Yang Festival
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Height Ascending Festival
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Double Ninth Cake
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Dogwood
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Chinese Herbal Medicine
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Wine
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Cake
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: High
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Seniors Day
|
|
|
Weekly Chinese Phrases |
|
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Meaning: The Warring States Period
Topic: Period
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Meaning: The Spring and Autumn Period
Topic: Period
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Meaning: Outdoor activity
Topic: Activity
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Meaning: Appreciate chrysanthemum
Topic: Custom
|
|
|
Weekly Chinese Expression |
|
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Meaning: one hundred good deeds filial is first
Implication: Among all the virtues, filial piety is the best.
|
|
|
Weekly Chinese Poem |
|
|
|
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Meaning: September 9th, missing mountain's eastern brothers
Implication: "Double Ninth, Missing My Brothers Who Are in Eastern of Hua Shan".
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Meaning: Wang Wei (Tang Dynasty)
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Meaning: lonely at a foreign land as a stranger
Implication: As a lonely stranger in a foreign land
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Meaning: every time meeting a festival twice missing families
Implication: Every festival the homesickness amplifies.
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Meaning: remotely knowing my brothers are ascending a height
Implication: Knowing my brothers have reached the peak.
|
|
| Transcription: |
 |
Meaning: all carry a spray of dogwood but miss one person
Implication: Each of them carries a spray of dogwood, but I am not there.
|
|
|
ChineseVoice Newsletter - Readers' Feedback |
|
|
|
|
|
|
ChineseVoice Students' Feedback |
|
|
|
"
Thank you for advising me to take up Chinese lessons! eTeacher is definitely the school! Keep up the good work! xiexie! I would like to take the opportunity to say that my actual Chinese teacher is amazing, and has an awesome ability to teach, I am so lucky to be in her class
"
|
| - Arlette Cohen, Canada |
|
| Tell us about your ChineseVoice experience. We wil be happy to post your feedback here. |
|
|
|
Contact Us |
|
|
|
Contact us
Feedback
Sign up for a trial lesson
or call us:
- USA & Canada: 1-888-563-7370
- United Kingdom: 0845-869-7519
- Worldwide: +972-3-7554142
Send this newsletter to a friend
|
