In ancient times, there was a village shrouded in the shadow of the plague god. Whenever this evil god descended, the villagers fell ill and their lives were plunged into endless suffering. There is a young man named Jingheng in the village, and none of his family members are spared from the clutches of the plague god, which inspires his determination to fight against fate. Jing Heng swore to learn powerful spells, drive away the plague god, and return home to peace and happiness.
He embarked on a long and difficult journey of learning, fearless of difficulties and obstacles, with only a persistent pursuit of justice in his heart. Under the clever arrangement of fate, a mysterious crane led him to find the reclusive master on Zhongnan Mountain – a fairy chief with supreme magical power. Time flies, ten years pass in an instant. Under the careful guidance of the immortal, Jing Heng not only excelled in martial arts, but also mastered the power to fight against evil.
On the ninth day of September, a day full of fear for the villagers is approaching, and the immortal has a premonition that the plague god will wreak havoc again. He summoned Jing Heng and said earnestly, “Tomorrow is the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, and the plague god will appear again. You have already completed your studies, it is time to go back and save your fellow villagers.” After saying that, the immortal gave Jing Heng a pack of exorcist dogwood leaves, a cup of chrysanthemum wine to ward off the plague, and a sharp demon slaying sword, and ordered the immortal crane to carry him back home quickly.
On the day of Double Ninth, before dawn, Jing Heng followed the instructions of the immortal and led his fellow villagers to climb a nearby high mountain. He guided everyone to wear cornel leaves and drink chrysanthemum wine together, while he himself held a precious sword and was on high alert. Soon, the plague god arrived as promised, but only saw an empty village. Just as he was puzzled, bursts of the fragrance of dogwood and chrysanthemum wine intertwined, making him dizzy and powerless. The plague god was furious and followed the incense up the mountain, only to see villagers and a heroic young man scattered all over the mountain.
Upon seeing this, Jing Heng unhesitatingly swung his sword down the mountain and engaged in a fierce battle with the Plague God. After several rounds, the Plague God was ultimately defeated by Jing Heng’s bravery and the sharpness of his sword, and fell into a pool of blood. With the defeat of the plague god, the gloom that enveloped the village was swept away, and the villagers cheered and celebrated this difficult victory together.
From then on, every September 9th, villagers would make an appointment to climb high, wear cornel, and drink chrysanthemum wine together to commemorate Jing Heng’s heroic deeds and pray for peace and health in the coming year. This custom, like the spirit of Jingheng, has been passed down from generation to generation and remains fresh over time.
