The Double Ninth Festival: Beautiful Chrysanthemums Grant Longevity

The five seasonal festivals to drive out evil originate in Yin and Yang philosophy. The most important is the Double Ninth festival on September 9, the largest, single-digit odd number. Chrysanthemums, a medicinal herb, are used for purification in the 1,000-year-old longevity rituals; hence, the festival's name. A chrysanthemum-boy doll, Noh plays, children's sumo, and floss-adorned chrysanthemums. Discover how the Chrysanthemum Festival has taken on new significance during the pandemic.