Origin of the Double Ninth Festival

It is said that one prototype of Double Ninth Festival can be found in the ancient sacrifices to the god of fire.

The star Dahuo, the principal star of Scorpio and an indicator of the seasons in ancient China, disappears in autumn. This was called the “Neihuo (endogenous fire) of Autumn” in Xia Xiao Zheng (Ephemeris of Xia Dynasty). With the disappearance of Dahuo, the ancient people lost an important guide for production and life. Those who worshipped the god of fire feared to see this phenomenon. The dormancy of the star meant a long winter was arriving. When it appeared, there would be welcoming rites; when it disappeared, there would be send-off rites in the season of “Neihuo.” On the Double Ninth Day, there are still customs to sacrifice to the kitchen god, the god of fire living in people’s houses, in the southern areas of the Yangtze River.

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