Double Third Festival

TheDouble Third Festival(Chinese:三月三;pinyin:sānyuèsān) sometimes also called theWashing Festivalis a traditional holiday originating from China, and is celebrated in multiple East Asian countries, including China and Korea.
TheDouble Third Festival(Chinese:三月三;pinyin:sānyuèsān) orShangsi Festival(traditional Chinese:上巳節;simplified Chinese:上巳节), sometimes translated as theWashing Festival, is a Chinese holiday celebrated on the third day of the third month of theChinese calendar.
It is said that the origin of this festival comes from the Dinner Party at the Qushui River during the Zhou Dynasty (about 1100–221 BC). Others say its origins come from the ceremonial custom of getting rid of evils by bathing in the river. On this day, people would hold a sacrificing ceremony on a riverside to honor their ancestors, and then take a bath in the river with herbs to cleanse their bodies of filth. Following that, young men and women would then go for a spring outing in which many of these scenes were described in Shi Jing (The Book of Songs).
The Shangsi Festival activities have changed over the course of subsequent dynasties. The entertainment feast and praying for descendants along the riverside were added in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). It was after the Wei and Jin dynasties (220–420 AD) that the festival developed into the Double-Third (Shangsi) Festival that is fixed on the third day of the third lunar month.
In modern times, to observe this festival, people would go for an outing by the water, have picnics, and pluckorchids.  It is also a day for invoking cleansing rituals to prevent disease and get rid of bad luck. The day is also traditionally considered to be a possible birthday of theYellow Emperor.
The ancient traditions of Shangsi are mostly celebrated by several communities spread out among the provinces today, such as the ancient village ofXinyewhich holds elaborate ancestor worship ceremonies on this day.
The great calligrapherWang Xizhimentions this festival in his famous workPreface to the Orchid Pavilion Poems, written in regard to theOrchid Pavilion Gatheringduring theSix Dynastiesera.
InZhuang Culture, the festival has higher prominence and is celebrated with songs and dance performances as well as a variety of games and foods.
In Japan, the Double Third festival is celebrated asHinamatsuri.
Samjinnalis one ofsesi pungsok(세시풍속) orKorean traditional customsby season, which falls on the third day of the third month in theChinese calendar. It was calledsamjil(삼질) in oldKorean languageand referred to assangsa,wonsa(원사, 元巳),sungsam(중삼, 重三),sangje(상제, 上除) ordapcheongjeol(답청절, 踏靑節) inhanja. Samjinnal implies the overlapping of Sam (three). According to Choi Namseon, samjil was derived from the consonants of Samil, and Sangsa is defined as the first snake day of the 3rd lunar month.
During Samjinnal, people pick out azalea flowers and knead it with glutinous rice dough to makeHwajeon, a Korean traditional rice cake. Mung bean powder is used to makemung beannoodles, and is also occasionally used with the azalea flowers. By dyeing the mung bean powder with red water, a seasonal dish calledSumyeoncan be prepared. Other than this, white bubble rice cakes made with red bean paste calledSantteok,Goritteokmade from glutinous rice, pine endodermis and mugwort, andSsuktteokmade from glutinous rice and mugwort leaves are eaten this day.