When there's a festival, I think often of my family.
I know from afar my brothers are climbing the heights,
All pinning on dogwood sprigs, less one man.
Wang Wei
九月九日憶山東兄*
獨在異鄉為異客,
每逢佳節倍思親.
遙知兄弟登高處,
遍插茱萸少一人.
王維
* The Double Nine Festival occurred on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. The number nine in Taoism was associated with yang, the male principle, and so it was a masculine festival. A tradition was for men to climb to the heights and sun themselves, the sun being a yang element. It was considered to be good for one's health on the Double Nine to pin a sprig of the cornel dogwood (Cornelis officinalis) to one's gown.
