The Chongyang Festival is a Chinese traditional festival. It is celebrated {#blank#}1{#/blank#} the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. That is {#blank#}2{#/blank#} it is called the Double Ninth Festival, too.

    The festival started as early as the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). It has a history of more than 1, 700 years. Among the numbers from zero to nine, nine is the {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (high) odd number (奇数). People believe that two "nines" meeting together stand for a long life. So it is a special holiday for Chinese people {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (show) love and respect for their elders. They hold many kinds of {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (act) in honor of old people, wishing {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (they) good health and a long life.

    The festival comes during the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (gold) time of foil. On the day, people traditionally drink chrysanthemum (菊花) wine, eat Double-Ninth Cakes {#blank#}8{#/blank#} climb mountains. They also carry a kind of plant named dogwood. People in ancient times believed that {#blank#}9{#/blank#} plant could drive away evil (邪恶的) spirits and prevent them from {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (catch) an illness in winter.