The Double Ninth Festival cannot be celebrated at the bride's parents' home?
In some areas, it is considered taboo for married daughters to return to their parents' home during the Double Ninth Festival.There is a folk saying: "If you return home for the Double Ninth Festival, you will die of your mother-in-law." For example, in areas like Teng County in southern Shandong, daughters who have been married for less than three years are not allowed to return to their parents' home on the Double Ninth Festival.
However, after being married for three years, married daughters can return to their parents' home during the Double Ninth Festival, and even go back every year.
Which festivals cannot married daughters return to their parents' home?
1. Spring Festival"The fire on New Year's Eve, the lanterns on the 15th day of the first lunar month," which means that married daughters can return home to have the reunion dinner with their parents, but they cannot spend New Year's Eve night at their parents' home, as it may affect the family's luck.
2. Tomb Sweeping Day (Qingming Festival)
It is not allowed for married daughters to return to their parents' home on Tomb Sweeping Day, as it is said that this is an important day for ancestral worship. All families need to go to the graves to pay respects to their ancestors. However, a daughter who has married is like water poured out, so she is not allowed to return to her parents' home to pay respects.
3. Mid-Autumn Festival
Married daughters are not allowed to return to their parents' home on the Mid-Autumn Festival, because the Mid-Autumn Festival is a day of reunion. In traditional concepts, married daughters belong to another family, so they must return to their husband's home to celebrate, symbolizing completeness and good fortune.
4. Laba Festival
Married daughters are not allowed to return to their parents' home on the Laba Festival. There are two explanations for this. One is that returning home on the Laba Festival is unlucky for the mother-in-law, and the other is that returning home on this day affects the family's fortune. The saying goes, "Don't eat the rice from your parents' home on Laba, and you won't be able to repay them for generations," which refers to this meaning.
What is the origin and history of the Double Ninth Festival?
The Double Ninth Festival originated from celestial worship, dating back to ancient times, becoming popular in the Western Han Dynasty, and reaching its peak after the Tang Dynasty. There are two main theories about the origin of the Double Ninth Festival: one is related to ancient sacrificial ceremonies to heaven, and the other is related to ancient sacrifices to the star "Great Fire." 1. Harvest Sacrifice to HeavenAccording to existing historical records and research, in ancient times, there were harvest sacrifices to heaven and ancestors in late autumn. The "Lüshi Chunqiu · Autumn Chapter" records that people in ancient times held rituals to worship the gods and ancestors when crops were harvested in September, expressing gratitude to the gods and ancestors. This was the original form of the Double Ninth Festival as a seasonal harvest ritual.
It is said that the Double Ninth Festival is the day when Emperor Yuan attained enlightenment. The "Lüshi Chunqiu · Autumn Chapter" says: "On this day, the head of the household is ordered to complete the agricultural harvest, and the five types of seeds are collected. The grain is stored in the divine granary, and everything must be done with reverence and care. On this day, a grand feast is held for the deity, and sacrifices are made to inform the emperor of the completion of the harvest." It can be seen that there were already rituals to worship the gods and ancestors during the autumn harvest in September, expressing gratitude to the gods and ancestors. This was the original form of the Double Ninth Festival as a ritual activity in ancient times. At the same time, there were large banquets, which evolved from the early Qin dynasty's harvest celebration banquets.
2. Worship of the "Great Fire"
One of the prototypes of the Double Ninth Festival is the ancient ceremony of worshipping the "Great Fire." The "Great Fire" (Antares) was used by ancient people to determine the timing for seasonal production and life.
In ancient times, people divided the stars near the ecliptic into 28 groups according to the movement of the sun, moon, and stars, commonly known as the "28 Mansions." The seven stars in the east—Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei, and Ji—form a complete dragon-shaped constellation (the Azure Dragon Seven Mansions). When spring farming begins, the Azure Dragon Seven Mansions gradually rise in the eastern night sky, with the bright dragon's head, Jiao Mansion, appearing first. During summer, the Azure Dragon Seven Mansions hang high in the southern night sky. By autumn, when the crops are harvested, the Azure Dragon Seven Mansions begin to retreat in the western sky. In winter, all things lie dormant, and the Azure Dragon Seven Mansions disappear below the northern horizon. During late autumn, when the "Great Fire" (Antares) retreats, the hibernation of the fire god signifies the arrival of the long winter. Therefore, during the period when the "Great Fire" retreats in late autumn, people hold corresponding farewell rituals. Even today, some regions still have traces of ancient customs of worshipping the "Great Fire."
