Went to Hill-climbing on Double Ninth Day
30 th October, Double Ninth Day also named Chong Yang Festival (重 陽 節) falls on the ninth day of the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. According to Chinese custom, nine is the highest odd digit, people take two of them together to signify longevity. Therefore, it has become a special day for people to pay their respects to the elderly and a day for the elderly to enjoy themselves. It has also been declared China's day for the elderly.
The day is traditionally celebrated by activities including hill-climbing, drinking chrysanthemum wine, hanging dogwood sprays, and other customs handed down from the Han dynasty story of Huan Ching and Fei Chang-fang, and were all originally practiced to avoid disaster and danger. Taking advantage of the high, cool fall winds of the season, the people on Taiwan have enriched the holiday with kite-flying, a custom which has become immensely popular on the island over the years.
The day is traditionally celebrated by activities including hill-climbing, drinking chrysanthemum wine, hanging dogwood sprays, and other customs handed down from the Han dynasty story of Huan Ching and Fei Chang-fang, and were all originally practiced to avoid disaster and danger. Taking advantage of the high, cool fall winds of the season, the people on Taiwan have enriched the holiday with kite-flying, a custom which has become immensely popular on the island over the years.
Through the ages, Double Nine Day has evolved into a rich and varied occasion, with hill climbing and kite flying activities to strengthen the body, soul and heart; and Senior Citizens' Day to invigorate the traditional Chinese values of filial piety and caring for the elderly. The occasion is thus a time both of good spirit and deep traditional significance.
Coincidentally, 30 October was followed the weekend, thus I had three days holidays (totally free to relax). In order to celebrate the said date, we (I and my parents) walked up to the Guia Hill (the nearest one from my home) in the early morning at 6:30 a.m. as to do running as well. Though it took us 25 minutes walk from my house to there, there were lots of slanting stairs needed to walk up, so gasping. (lack of doing exercises) . We reached to the highest spot finally of the hill – Guia light house. It opens once (double ninth day) per year for local citizens or tourists to visit.The lighthouse is a 15-metre high tower with a radius of 7 metres at the base narrowing upwards to 5 metres. At the top, there is a circular observation platform, 7 metres in diameter, where the lantern is installed. The tower has a rustic simple exterior design. The light transmitter is accessed by a spiral flight of stairs inside. Beside the lighthouse lies Guia Chapel built before 1622.
Guia Hill is the highest hill on the Macao Peninsula, rising 94 metres above sea level. Guia Fortress built between 1622-1638, has an area of around 800 square metres. The fortress is trapezoid in shape and has six metre high walls. The parapets are crenulated in order to accommodate large cannons. The fortress includes a lighthouse and a chapel. Macao takes its coordinates from the exact location of Guia Lighthouse completed in 1865.
The chapel has a nave measuring 16 by 4.5 metres, with thick bearing walls supporting the interior vaulting. The roof is covered with traditional reddish ceramic tiles. The roof ridge is 7 metres high and the corresponding eaves are 4.8 metres high. Inside, the sacristy is located on the left of the chancel and a small choir is located over the entrance.In 1998, frescoes were discovered inside the chapel. The frescoes that decorate the entire interior of the chapel are elaborate representations of both Chinese and Western themes displaying motifs of religious and mythological inspiration, thus enhancing even further the cultural value of the chapel.
