The Sacred Herb of Autumn Protection
During the Chongyang Festival (Double Ninth Festival) on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month, the scent of autumn is defined by more than just chrysanthemums. Another essential botanical protagonist is Zhuyu (茱萸, Dogwood or Evodia)—a pungent, red-berried medicinal plant traditionally revered as a spiritual and physical protector against the chill of late autumn.
In traditional Chinese folklore, as the vigorous Yang energy of summer and early autumn wanes after the Double Ninth, cold winds and seasonal miasma (瘴气) begin to rise from the damp earth. To shield their bodies from winter illnesses and ward off wandering malevolent spirits, ancient communities developed the custom of Wearing Dogwood (佩茱萸, Pèi Zhūyú / 插茱萸, Chā Zhūyú).
“Bixie Weng”: The Warder of Evil
In historical customs and classical medicine texts, Zhuyu earned the revered title of “Bixie Weng” (辟邪翁, The Old Man Who Wards Off Evil), standing in poetic balance with the chrysanthemum, which was crowned “Yanshou Ke” (延寿客, The Guest Who Prolongs Life).
The botanical variety most commonly used during Chongyang is Wu Zhu Yu (吴茱萸, Evodia rutaecarpa). In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), its dark red berries and foliage are prized for being strongly warm in nature, capable of:
- Dispelling internal and external cold.
- Warming the spleen and stomach.
- Releasing a strong, camphor-like essential oil that acts as a natural antibacterial and insect repellent.
Three Traditional Ways to Wear Dogwood
Historically, women, children, and scholars climbing mountains on festival day wore Zhuyu through three primary methods:
1. Tucked Behind the Ears or in the Hair (插发髻)
Women and girls would snap small twigs bearing ripe, crimson berries and tuck them directly into their updos or behind their ears. The vibrant red berries served both as striking autumn hair ornaments and as protective charms against headaches and autumn fatigue.
2. Embroidered Dogwood Sachets (茱萸囊)
For men, scholars, and children, dried dogwood berries and leaves were crushed and placed inside fine silk pouches known as Zhuyu Nang (茱萸囊, Dogwood Sachets). These pouches were tied securely around the upper arm or worn hanging from the waist belt during mountain climbs (Denggao), releasing a continuous protective aroma.
3. Hung Over Doors and Windows (悬于门)
Similar to hanging moxa and calamus during the Dragon Boat Festival, households would tie bundles of fresh dogwood above front doorways and window frames to purify incoming air and bar seasonal illnesses from entering the home.
Immortalized in Tang Dynasty Poetry
The custom of wearing dogwood is forever preserved in Chinese literary memory through Wang Wei’s (王维) immortal poem, Thinking of My Brothers on Mountain Holiday (《九月九日忆山东兄弟》):
“From afar I know my brothers climb the highest mountain, / All wearing dogwood, with only me missing.”
（遥知兄弟登高处，遍插茱萸少一人。）
In these lines, wearing dogwood becomes more than a health ritual—it symbolizes familial completeness, collective memory, and brotherly affection shared across great distances.
Modern Ecological Heritage
Today, while urban populations may not wear fresh dogwood twigs on their daily commutes, the legacy of Wearing Dogwood endures in modern TCM wellness practices and cultural reenactments.
During Chongyang heritage celebrations across China, hikers and seniors often carry modern herbal sachets containing Zhu Yu, keeping alive a 2,000-year-old tradition that honors herbal wisdom, autumn beauty, and the protection of loved ones.