The story can be dated back as early as the East Han Dynasty, there lived an old Taoist named Fei Changfang, who had become an immortal after many years of practicing Taoism. A young man named HuanJing, worshiped him and was learning the magic arts from Fei Chanfang. The old Taoist took him in and taught him how to defeat the devil. Heng Jing put his whole heart into study and practice.

相传，在东汉时期，有一位神通广大的道人名叫费长房。他习道多年，终于长生不老。一个叫桓景的青年很崇拜他，并想追随他学习道术。费长房就收他为徒，教他学本事。桓景也潜心学习，刻苦修炼。

One day, the two were climbing a mountain. Fei Changfang suddenly stopped and looked very upset. He told Huan Jing:" on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, disaster will come to your hometown. You must go home immediately. Remember to make a red bag for each one of your families and put a spray of cornel on everyone. Then you must all tie your bags to your arms, leave home quickly and climb to the top of a mountain. Most importantly, you must all drink some chrysanthemum wine, Only by doing so can your families avoid this disaster."

有一天，在爬山的时候，费长房对桓景说：“在九月初九这天，你们全家将有一场大灾难降临，你要提早回家做好准备。”桓景听了，十分惊慌，连忙跪下求师傅教给他躲避灾难的办法。费长房说：“在九月九这一天，你多做几个红色的布袋，里面放进茱萸，并缠到胳膊上，再带些用菊花浸泡的酒，携全家老小到一个高坡上饮酒。只有这样，你才能避开大祸。”

 On hearing this, Huan Jing rushed home and asked his family to do exactly as his teacher said. The whole family climbed a nearby mountain and did not return until the evening. When they got back home, they found all their animals dead, including chickens, sheep, dogs, and even the ox. 

听到此言，桓景飞奔回家，让家人认真遵照他师傅的要求去做。到了九月初九这一天清晨，桓景带着家人来到附近的高坡，平安度过了这一天。到了晚上，桓景和家人一起回到家中一看，不觉大吃一惊，家里的牛羊鸡犬都死了。

Since then, climbing a mountain, carrying a spray of dogwood, and drinking chrysanthemum wine became the traditional activities of the Double Nith Festival, to avoid evils spirits and misfortunes.

从此，重阳登高、插茱萸、饮菊花酒相沿成习，流传了近两千年，人们以此方式来驱邪避难。