九九重阳节，又称 “老人节”“登高节”，是中国传统节日中极具文化底蕴的节日之一，日期定在农历九月初九。“九” 在中文里是最大的阳数，农历九月初九有两个 “九” 相叠，故称为 “重阳”，也叫 “九九节”。这个节日的起源可追溯到上古时期，最初是古人祭祀祈福、辟邪消灾的日子，后来逐渐发展成兼具敬老、登高、赏菊、插茱萸等多重习俗的传统佳节。
The Double Ninth Festival, also known as the "Senior Citizens' Festival" or "Mountain-Climbing Festival," is one of the most culturally rich traditional Chinese festivals. It falls on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month. In Chinese culture, "nine" is the largest yang number (representing positivity and energy). Since the 9th day of the 9th lunar month has two "nines" overlapping, it is called "Chongyang" (meaning "double yang") or "Double Ninth Festival." The origin of this festival dates back to ancient times. At first, it was a day for people to worship ancestors, pray for blessings, and ward off disasters. Later, it gradually developed into a traditional festival with multiple customs, such as respecting the elderly, climbing mountains, admiring chrysanthemums, and wearing dogwood.
敬老爱老是重阳节最核心的文化内涵。在古代，人们认为九九与 “久久” 谐音，寓意长寿，因此重阳节被赋予了祝福老人健康长寿的美好愿望。如今，这个习俗依然被完好地传承下来。每逢重阳节，晚辈会向家中的长辈送上祝福，陪伴他们聊天、散步，或是准备可口的饭菜，表达对长辈的感恩与关爱。许多社区还会组织敬老活动，弘扬尊老敬老的传统美德。
Respecting the elderly is the core cultural meaning of the Double Ninth Festival. In ancient times, people believed that "JiuJiu" (the pronunciation of "nine-nine") sounds the same as "JiuJiu" which means "longevity" in Chinese. So the festival is given the beautiful wish of blessing the elderly with health and long life. Today, this custom is still well inherited. Every Double Ninth Festival, the younger generation will send blessings to the elderly at home, accompany them to chat, walk, or prepare delicious food to show gratitude and love to their elders. Many communities also organize activities to respect the elderly, promoting the traditional virtue of honoring the elderly.
除了敬老，登高、赏菊、插茱萸也是重阳节的经典习俗。古人认为，在重阳节登高可以避灾祈福，因此这一天人们会结伴登上附近的高山，欣赏秋日美景。同时，九月正是菊花盛开的季节，赏菊、饮菊花酒成为人们亲近自然、陶冶情操的方式。而插茱萸则是因为古人相信茱萸有辟邪驱虫的功效，人们会将茱萸插在门上，或佩戴在身上，祈求平安健康。
Besides respecting the elderly, climbing mountains, admiring chrysanthemums, and wearing dogwood are also classic customs of the Double Ninth Festival. The ancient people believed that climbing mountains on this festival could ward off disasters and pray for blessings. So on this day, people would go hiking with friends or family to climb nearby mountains and enjoy the beautiful autumn scenery. Meanwhile, September is the season when chrysanthemums are in full bloom. Admiring chrysanthemums and drinking chrysanthemum wine have become ways for people to get close to nature and cultivate their temperament. Wearing dogwood is because the ancient people believed that dogwood has the effect of warding off evil spirits and insects. People would insert dogwood on the door or wear it on their bodies to pray for peace and health.
随着时代的发展，重阳节的庆祝方式在不断创新，但它所承载的敬老爱老、祈福安康的文化内核始终未变。这个节日不仅连接着中华民族的历史记忆，更传递着珍视亲情、感恩回报的美好价值观，成为传承中华优秀传统文化的重要载体。
With the development of the times, the way of celebrating the Double Ninth Festival is constantly innovating, but its cultural core of respecting the elderly and praying for peace and health has never changed. This festival not only connects the historical memories of the Chinese nation but also conveys the beautiful values of cherishing family love and repaying gratitude. It has become an important carrier for inheriting the excellent traditional Chinese culture
