The Thousand Bloom: Celebrating Community Resilience and Heritage at Boston's Double Ninth Festival

On a crisp October afternoon, Boston Chinatown saw one of its green spaces transform into a vibrant, living work of art. Nearly 100 residents and visitors gathered for the first time to celebrate Double Ninth Festival—a joyful event marking my public art debut as part of the City of Boston’s Un-monument series. The festival honored Chinatown’s heritage and collective resilience through art and togetherness.

Honoring a Treasured Tradition

Observed on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, the Double Ninth Festival (or Chongyang Festival) is a treasured occasion in many East Asian cultures, dedicated to honoring elders and promoting good health. Families traditionally enjoy outdoor activities such as climbing hills for picnics and taking in the beauty of chrysanthemum blossoms, which symbolize longevity, vitality, and resilience.

The Thousand Bloom Public Art Installation

This year, Boston Chinatown embraced the spirit of Double Ninth Festival with The Thousand Bloom, a breathtaking art installation of 1,000 naturally-dyed silk chrysanthemums bundled in bouquets of nine to create a visual metaphor for the strength and unity of the Chinatown community. Each flower represents an individual story, a memory, or a contribution that, together, forms a larger collective narrative. Stories are the bedrock of our neighborhood; they not only become our shared history but also offer ways to imagine better futures and shape today's actions.

The Thousand Bloom honors Boston Chinatown as a community built on the strength and contributions of many. It’s about creating shared experiences that bring people together, celebrating the community that makes Chinatown special, and envisioning a brighter future together.

Celebrating Community Through Art

The festival opened with a rousing lion dance performance by Nüwa Athletic Club, a group dedicated to empowering Asian American girls and women to reclaim their place in lion dance—a martial art historically denied to women. As the lions leapt on stage and paraded through the crowd, it set a festive tone, honoring Chinatown’s rich cultural heritage while ushering in a new wave of tradition. The rhythmic beat of the drums signaled not just a celebration, but a declaration: Chinatown remains strong, alive, and deeply rooted.

Melissa Lo from City Councilor Ed Flynn’s office and Chulan Huang, Chinatown's Liaison from the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services, joined the celebration to express their appreciation for preserving cultural traditions and fostering community spirit. Their love and passion for the neighborhood resonated deeply with the audience, and Chulan presented a proclamation recognizing the festival's significance.

With this acknowledgment of heritage and community, the stage was set for Chinatown residents via Chinese Progressive Association to take center stage. Performing a song called 'Unity is Strength!' ( 团结就是力量!) and then a dance called "We Are All From All Corners of the World!" (我们都是来自五湖四海!), accompanied by a cappella singing, they celebrated the neighborhood's strength and diversity while emphasizing the importance of supporting one another for a stronger, united community.

One of the day's highlights was a chi gong session led by Adriana Li from Woo Ching White Crane School. Participants of all ages, from children to elders, joined in to relax, recharge, and connect with the community's energy. The festival concluded with attendees joyfully dancing together to Chrysanthemums Bursting All Over the Mountain (菊花爆滿山) and other popular Chinese square dancing songs like Little Apple (小蘋果).

Reflections and Memories from the Community

Viewing the public art installation, one auntie shared with me how it rekindled memories of her university days when such visual displays were common. She reminisced about the lively dances that accompanied them and noted that it had been a long time—probably over 50 years—since she had participated in anything like that.

Candice Lam , CPA, Founder of Travel Impactful, expressed her appreciation for the event, "Honoring elders and ancestors during the Chongyang Festival is one of the most beautiful aspects of our Chinese culture, a tradition that should be preserved deeply in our roots. It's truly wonderful that you are celebrating this festival. Ever since I moved here from Hong Kong, I've felt the absence of this cherished tradition, so I'm genuinely glad to see you bringing it to life."

Gratitude and Acknowledgments

Honoring the community as a living monument—one that evolves and grows with the people who create new memories here every day—has been such a labor of love. I'm endlessly thankful to everyone who contributed to creating these new narratives in the community and for allowing me to lead this endeavor.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the support of so many amazing people and organizations—to the funders, supporters, and everyone who contributed to bringing this vision to life. Thank you to the City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture’s Un-monument initiative, supported by a grant from the Mellon Foundation , for their belief in the power of art to connect and uplift our community. Much thanks to Tufts University for providing the community space for the festival! A special thank you to curator Lani Asuncion for helping me think creatively about how to make my work and public engagement more impactful and cohesive. Also, thank you to Cynthia Woo for offering guidance and sharing advice to help me grow as an artist. And thanks to the Pao Arts Center for their continuous support, from providing materials to assisting behind the scenes. Additionally, I want to acknowledge Design Studio for Social Intervention for helping with brainstorming, Maria Fong for their project support, and the many volunteers at the festival—this project truly would not have been possible without all their help.

Thanks for the memories—

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The Thousand Bloom: A Chrysanthemum Grows in Chinatown is presented by Pao Arts Center, curated by Lani Asuncion . This project is funded by the City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture’s Un-monument initiative, supported by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.

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