Over 1,000 senior citizens gathered in Suzhou on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, to celebrate the upcoming Chongyang Festival, or Senior Citizens Day, which falls on next Friday. [Photo cnsphoto]
A man helps his wife of 50 years adjust her necklace during celebrations of their 50th wedding anniversary, or "Gold Wedding", in the square of the Great Hall of the People in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province October 9, 2007. The 500 couples were from Suzhou, Zhangjiagang, Changshu, all of which are cities in Jiangsu Province. [newsphoto]
Holding red ribbons, couples gather for a collective ceremony marking their 50th wedding anniversary, or "Gold Wedding", in the square of the Great Hall of the People in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province October 9, 2007. The 500 couples came from Suzhou, Zhangjiagang, Changshu, all of which are cities in Jiangsu Province. [newsphoto]
Holding ribbons, couples walk in a procession to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, or "Gold Wedding", in the square of the Great Hall of the People in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province October 9, 2007. The 500 couples came from Suzhou, Zhangjiagang, Changshu, all of which are cities in Jiangsu Province. [newsphoto]
Couples stand together for a collective ceremony to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, or "Gold Wedding", in the square of the Great Hall of the People in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province October 9, 2007. The 500 couples came from Suzhou, Zhangjiagang, Changshu, all of which are cities in Jiangsu Province. [newsphoto]
Over 1,000 senior citizens gathered in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou on Tuesday to mark the upcoming Chongyang Festival, also known as the Double Ninth Festival, a special day for the elderly.
China News Service reported that only senior citizens who have been married for at least 50 years were qualified to take part in the celebration.
The Double Ninth Festival falls on next Friday, which is the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese lunar calendar.
The Chinese government officially named the Chongyang Festival as China's Senior Citizens Day in 1989.
