Origin of the Double Ninth Festival 

     A long time ago, a monster lived in the Ru River. Whenever it appeared on land, people living along the river would contract a fatal disease and die. Everyone suffered endlessly. One day, the disease took the lives of the Heng Jing's parents. He, himself, narrowly escaped from death. 

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     After he recovered from the disease, Heng Jing searched for an immortal. The immortal would teach him how to chase the monster away. Eventually, Heng Jing heard of a powerful immortal living on a celestial mountain. With the help of a stork, they endured many hardships along the way, and, finally found the immortal. The immortal was moved by his perseverance and took Heng Jing in as a disciple, teaching him cultivation and giving him a magical sword. Heng Jing practiced every day and improved by leaps and bounds.

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     One day, the immortal told Heng Jing, “Tomorrow is the ninth day of the ninth month. The monster will appear then. You’ve learned many skills, and are now ready to chase it away.” The immortal gave Heng Jing loquat leaves and chrysanthemum wine and taught him how to use them before sending him off. 

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     When Heng Jing got home, he brought all of the townspeople to the top of a nearby mountain on the morning of the ninth. He then distributed the loquat leaves and chrysanthemum wine. 

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     At noon, the monster charged out of the river and towards the people. But when it got onto the mountain, the monster smelled the loquat leaves and chrysanthemum wine. It paused and started to back away. Heng Jing followed it down the mountain with his sword and killed the monster in no time.

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     Since then, climbing onto a mountain on the ninth day of the ninth month in the Lunar Calendar became a long-standing tradition that is still observed today.