Honouring the Generations: Reflections on the Chongyang Festival
A Festival of Respect and Renewal
The Chongyang Festival, also known as the Double Ninth Festival, falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. In the rhythm of the Chinese calendar, it marks a time when autumn deepens, the air turns crisp, and chrysanthemums bloom across the hillsides.
The name “Double Ninth” comes from the number nine — in Chinese culture, a symbol of yang energy, representing brightness and vitality. When two nines come together, they form a day full of strength and renewal. Traditionally, families climb mountains, admire chrysanthemums, and drink chrysanthemum wine, all while expressing wishes for long life and good health.
A Day of Gratitude and Connection
In modern times, Chongyang has also become known as Senior Citizens’ Day in China — a time to honour the wisdom, love, and resilience of the older generation.
To love our elders is to remember where we come from.
To care for them is to teach our children what love truly means.
For families living apart, a phone call or a shared memory can bridge the distance.
For children, learning to listen and show respect is the first step in understanding kindness that transcends age.
At The Mothers’ Bridge of Love, we believe that love flows both ways — from parents to children, and back again through care, gratitude, and remembrance.
The Bridge Across Time
As we stand on the hills of our own lives, may we look back with appreciation and look forward with compassion.
Every generation carries the hope of the one before it — just as every autumn carries the promise of spring.
On this Chongyang Festival, may we celebrate the beauty of age, the dignity of care, and the quiet strength of family bonds that stretch across time and borders.
From all of us at The Mothers’ Bridge of Love — may your hearts be filled with peace, gratitude, and love. 💛
The Mothers’ Bridge of Love — connecting hearts across generations and cultures.