For other uses, see Public holidays in China (disambiguation).
Chinese National Day in 2004 at Beihai Park, Beijing

There are currently seven official public holidays in the People's Republic of China.[1][2] Each year's holidays are announced about one month before the start of the year by the General Office of the State Council. A notable feature of such holidays is that weekends are usually swapped with the weekdays next to the actual holiday to create a longer holiday period. Generally, by adjusting the adjacent weekends, a "golden week" or a three to five-day "short holiday" is formed.

Festivals in mainland China have been around since the Qin dynasty around 221–206 BC. During the more prosperous Tang dynasty from AD 618–907, festivals involved less sacrifice and mystery to more entertainment.[3] Culminating to the modern era Between the 1920s until around the 1970s, the Chinese began observing two sets of holidays, which were the traditional and what became "official", celebrating the accomplishments of the communist regime.[4] There was then a major reform in 2008, abolishing the Labour Day Golden Week and adding three traditional Chinese holidays (Qingming Festival, Duanwu Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival).[5] From at least 2000 until this reform, the Spring Festival public holiday began on New Year's Day itself. From 2008 to 2013 it was shifted back by one day to begin on Chinese New Year's Eve. In 2014, New Year's Eve became a working day again, which provoked hostile discussion by netizens and academics.[6][7] However, since 2015, Chinese New Year's Eve is usually swapped with nearby weekends so that people need not work on Chinese New Year's Eve.

Overview

Holidays in China are complicated and are one of the least predictable among developing nations. In all these holidays, if the holiday lands on a weekend, the days will be reimbursed after the weekend. The National Holidays and Anniversary Holidays Measures issued by the State Council is the highest administrative regulation for regulating national holidays. The establishment of theme holidays and industry-specific holidays is stipulated by law or approved by the State Council. At present, China's current statutory annual holiday standard is 13 days.[citation needed]

The Chinese New Year and National Day holidays are three days long. The week-long holidays on May (Labor) Day and National Day began in 2000, as a measure to increase and encourage holiday spending. The resulting seven-day or eight-day (if Mid-Autumn Festival is near National Day) holidays are called "Golden Weeks" (黄金周), and have become peak seasons for travel and tourism. In 2008, the Labor Day holiday was shortened to three days to reduce travel rushes to just twice a year, and instead, three traditional Chinese holidays were added.[citation needed]

Generally, if there is a three-day or four-day (if Mid-Autumn Festival is near National Day) holiday, the government will declare it to be a seven-day or eight-day holiday. However, citizens are required to work during a nearby weekend. Businesses and schools would then treat the affected Saturdays and Sundays as the weekdays that the weekend has been swapped with. Schedules are released late in the year prior and might change during the year.[citation needed]

The following is a graphical schematic of how the weekend shifting works.

Weekend shifting scheme (since 2014)

Spring Festival

Shift the Saturdays and Sundays nearby to make a 7-day holiday. People may need to work for 6 or 7 continuous days before or after the holiday.

National Day (not near Mid-Autumn Festival)

Shift the Saturdays and Sundays nearby to make a 7-day holiday. The holiday is from 1 to 7 October. People may need to work for 6 or 7 continuous days before or after the holiday.

New Year, Tomb-Sweeping Day, Labor Day (before 2020), Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival (not near National Day)

  • Wednesday: No weekend shifting. The holiday is only 1 day long. This is to prevent people from working for 7 continuous days since 2014. Sometimes shift the Sundays nearby to make a 4-day holiday. People may need to work for 6 continuous days after the holiday.
  • Tuesday or Thursday: Shift the Saturdays and Sundays nearby to make a 3-day holiday. People may need to work for 6 continuous days before or after the holiday.
  • Saturday or Sunday: The public holiday is transferred to Monday.

Labor Day (since 2020)

Shift the Saturdays or Sundays nearby to make a 5-day holiday. People may need to work for 6 consecutive days before or after the holiday.[8][9]

List of holidays

Statutory holidays

Name Date Length (without weekends) Remarks Ref.
New Year's Day (元旦; Yuándàn) 1 January 1 day [1]
Spring Festival[a] (春节; Chūnjié) 1st day of 1st Lunisolar month 4 days (Chinese New Year's Eve, 1st, 2nd and 3rd days of 1st Lunisolar month) Usually occurs in late January or early February. The most important holiday, celebrating the start of a new year [1]
Tomb-Sweeping Day (清明节; Qīngmíngjié) 5 April (4 or 6 April in some years) 1 day Occurs about 15 days after the March Equinox; day for paying respect to one's ancestors [1]
Labour Day (劳动节; Láodòngjié) 1 May 2 days International Workers' Day [1]
Dragon Boat Festival (端午节; Duānwǔjié) 5th day of 5th Lunisolar month 1 day Usually occurs in June; commemoration of the ancient poet Qu Yuan [1]
Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节; Zhōngqiūjié) 15th day of 8th Lunisolar month 1 day Usually occurs in September; important autumn celebration of harvest and togetherness [1]
National Day (国庆节; Guóqìngjié) 1 October 3 days Commemorating the formal Proclamation of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949 [1]

Additional holidays for specific social groups

In addition to these holidays, applicable to the whole population, there are four official public holidays applicable to specific sections of the population:

Name Date Applicable to Ref.
International Women's Day (国际妇女节; Guójì Fùnǚ Jié) 8 March Women (half-day) [1]
Youth Day (青年节; Qīngniánjié) 4 May Youth from the age of 14 to 28 (half-day) [1]
Children's Day (六一儿童节; Liùyī értóng jié) 1 June Children below the age of 14 (half-day) [1]
Army Day (建军节; Jiàn jūn jié) 1 August Military personnel in active service (half-day) [1]

The closeness of Labor Day and Youth Day resulted in an unexpectedly long break for schools in 2008 - the Youth Day half-holiday entitlement had been largely forgotten because it has been subsumed into the Golden Week.

National holidays and memorial days

Article 5 of the Regulations on National Holidays and Anniversary Days stipulates that "No holidays will be given for February 7th Anniversary, May 30th Anniversary, July 7th Anniversary of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, September 3rd Anniversary of the Victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, September 18th Anniversary, Teachers' Day, Nurses' Day, Journalists' Day, Arbor Day, and other holidays and anniversaries."

Date English name Chinese name Remarks Ref.
7 February February 7th Anniversary 二七纪念日 Commemorating the Great Strike of February 7
12 March Arbor Day 植树节 Also known as National Tree Planting Day (全民义务植树日; Quánmín yìwù zhíshù rì) [10]
12 May Nurses Day 护士节 International Nurses Day [11]
30 May May 30th Anniversary 五卅纪念日 Commemorating the May Thirtieth Movement of 1925
7 July July 7th Anti-Japanese War Memorial Day 七七抗战纪念日 Commemorating the Marco Polo Bridge incident of 1937
3 September Victory Day of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression 中国人民抗日战争胜利纪念日 Honoring the Allied victory over Japan and the end of the Second World War in the Pacific (new holiday established 2014) [12]
10 September Teachers' Day 教师节 [13]
18 September September 18th Anti-Japanese War Memorial Day 九一八抗战纪念日 Commemorating the Mukden incident of 1931
8 November Journalists' Day 记者节 Journalists' Day is celebrated on November 8, the day when the China Youth Journalists Association (the predecessor of the All-China Journalists Association) was founded in Shanghai in 1937. [14]

Other national themed festivals and anniversaries

Date English name Chinese name Establishment Remarks Ref.
10 January Chinese People's Police Day 中国人民警察节 2021 110 Police Hotline [15]
3 March National Ear Care Day 全国爱耳日 2000 Double ear shape "33"
Last Monday of March National Safety Education Day for Primary and Secondary School Students 全国中小学生安全教育日 1996
15 April National Security Education Day 全民国家安全教育日 2016 Day to enhance the national security awareness [16]
24 April China Space Day 中国航天日 2016 The date China's first artificial earth satellite Dong Fang Hong 1 was successfully launched [17]
18 May China Tourism Day 中国旅游日 2011 The opening day of Xu Xiake's Travels
3rd Sunday of May National Disability Day 全国助残日 1991
30 May National Science and Technology Workers' Day 全国科技工作者日 2017 [18]
6 June National Eye Care Day 全国爱眼日 1996
2nd Saturday of June China's Cultural Heritage Day 文化和自然遗产日 2006
3rd day of the National Energy Conservation Publicity Week National Low Carbon Day 全国低碳日 2013
25 June National Land Day 全国土地日 1991 The date the Land Administration Law of the People's Republic of China was promulgated
11 July China National Maritime Day 中国航海日 2005 The anniversary of Zheng He's first voyage
8 August National Fitness Day 全民健身日 2009 The opening day of the 2008 Summer Olympics [19]
15 August National Ecology Day 全国生态日 2023 [20]
19 August Chinese Doctors' Day 中国医师节 2018 [21]
Autumnal equinox day Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival 中国农民丰收节 2018 [22]
3rd Saturday of September National Defense Education Day 全民国防教育日 2001
29 September National Love Teeth Day 全国爱牙日 1989
29 September Civic Morality Promotion Day 公民道德宣传日 2003 The date the Implementation Outline of Citizen Morality Construction was promulgated
30 September Martyrs' Day 烈士纪念日 2014 Honors all the fallen of the country right before National Day, new holiday established in 2014 [23]
25 October Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration 台湾光复纪念日 2025 Commemorates the retrocession of and the end of the Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan [24]
9th day of the 9th lunar month Senior Citizens' Day 老年节 2013 Double Ninth Festival
9 November National Fire Protection Day 全国消防日 1992 Fire alarm number "119"
2 December National Traffic Safety Day 全国交通安全日 2012 Traffic accident alarm number "122" [25]
4 December National Law Publicity Day 全国法制宣传日 2001 The date the Constitution of China was promulgated. Also the National Constitution Day [26]
13 December National Memorial Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre 南京大屠杀死难者国家公祭日 2014 Commemorates the victims of the Nanjing Massacre

Other holidays

Main article: List of observances set by the Chinese calendar
See also: Public holidays in Taiwan
Date English name Local name Pinyin Remarks
2nd day of 2nd Lunisolar month Zhonghe Festival (Dragon Raising its Head) 中和节 Zhōng hé jié Based on Chinese calendar
1 July Anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party 建党节 Jiàndǎng jié Formation of 1st National Congress in July 1921
7th day of 7th Lunisolar month Qixi Festival 七夕 Qīxī The Chinese Valentine's Day, based on Chinese calendar
15th day of 7th Lunisolar month Spirit Festival (Ghost Festival) 中元节 Zhōng yuán jié Based on Chinese calendar
10 October Wuchang Uprising 武昌起义 Wǔchāng Qǐyì Commemoration of the anti-monarch uprising against the Qing which began the Xinhai Revolution
9th day of 9th Lunisolar month Chongyang Festival 重阳节 Chóngyáng jié Based on Chinese calendar.

Ethnic minorities' holidays

There are public holidays celebrated by certain ethnic minorities in certain regions, which are decided by local governments. The following are holidays at the provincial level.

Date English name Local name Chinese name Pinyin Ethnic groups Remarks
1st day of Tibetan year Losar ལོ་གསར 洛萨/藏历新年 Luò sà / zànglì xīnnián Tibetan 7 days in Tibet
30.6 of Tibetan calendar Sho Dun ༄༅། ཞོ་སྟོན། 雪顿节 Xuě dùn jié Tibetan 1 day in Tibet
1.9 of Islamic calendar Eid al-Fitr 开斋节/肉孜节 Kāizhāi jié / ròu zī jié Hui, Uyghur and other Muslims 3 days in Ningxia; 1 day in Xinjiang
10.12 of Islamic calendar Eid al-Adha 古尔邦节 Gǔ'ěrbāng jié Hui, Uyghur and other Muslims 2 days in Ningxia; 3 days in Xinjiang
3.3 of Lunisolar calendar Sam Nyied Sam Sam Nyied Sam 三月三 Sān Yuè Sān Zhuang 3 days in Guangxi

The following are traditional holidays at the prefectural level, and there are more at lower-level divisions, i.e. county-level.

Date Celebrating location English name Chinese name Pinyin Ethnic groups Remarks
6th day of the 6th Lunisolar month Qiannan and Qianxinan Liuyueliu 六月六 Liù Yuè Liù Bouyei 1 day in Qiannan and Qianxinan
8th day of the 8th Lunisolar month Qiannan and Qianxinan Bayueba 八月八 Bā Yuè Bā Miao 1 day in Qiannan and Qianxinan
10th day of the 9th Lunisolar month Dehong 阿露窝罗节 Ā Lù Wō Luó jié Achang 2 days in Dehong
1st day of Tibetan year Dêqên, Garzê, Gannan and Ngawa Losar 藏历新年 Luò sà / zànglì xīnnián Tibetan 3 days in Dêqên, Garzê, Gannan and Ngawa
24th day of the 6th Lunisolar month Honghe 矻扎扎节 Kū Zhā Zhā jié Hani 2 days in Honghe
24th day of the 6th Lunisolar month Chuxiong, Liangshan and Honghe Fire Festival 火把节 Huǒ Bǎ jié Yi 5 days in Chuxiong, Liangshan and 3 days in Honghe
20 September Nujiang 阔时节 Kuò Shí jié Lisu 3 days in Nujiang
15th day of the 1st Lunisolar month Dehong Manau Festival 目瑙纵歌节 Mùnǎo Zónggē jié Jingpo 2 days in Dehong
5th day of the 5th Lunisolar month Wenshan 闹兜阳 Nào Dōuyáng Miao 3 days in Wenshan, often celebrated together with Dragon Boat Festival
13 April Dehong and Xishuangbanna Water-Sprinkling Festival or Songkran 泼水节 Pō Shuǐ jié Dai 2 days in Dehong and Xishuangbanna
1st day of the 10th Lunisolar month Ngawa Qiang New Year 羌历年 Qiānglì Nián Qiang 5 days in Ngawa
15th to 22nd day of the 3rd Lunisolar month Dali Third Month Fair 三月街 Sān Yuè Jiē Bai 7 days in Dali
3rd day of the 3rd Lunisolar month Wenshan Sam Nyied Sam 三月三 Sān Yuè Sān Zhuang 3 days in Wenshan
1st day of the Yi Calendar, often falls in the 10th Lunisolar month Chuxiong and Liangshan Yi New Year 彝族年 Yízú Nián Yi 5 days in Chuxiong and Liangshan
1 Shawwal of Islamic calendar Linxia Eid ul-Fitr 开斋节 Kāizhāi jié Hui 3 days in Linxia
10 Dhu al-Hijjah of Islamic calendar Linxia Eid al-Adha or Kurban Festival 古尔邦节 Gǔ'ěrbāng jié Hui 3 days in Linxia

In addition, the following autonomous prefectures celebrate their founding date (Chinese: 州庆纪念日; pinyin: Zhōuqìng JìNiàn Rì or 州庆日; Zhōuqìng Rì). Generally, the government takes one day off to all people working in such prefectures.

Celebrating location Date
Chuxiong 15 April
Dali 22 November
Dehong 23 July
Dêqên 13 September
Enshi 19 August
Gannan 1 October
Garzê 24 November
Liangshan 1 October
Linxia 19 November
Ngawa 2 January
Nujiang 23 August
Qiandongnan 23 July
Qiannan 8 August
Qianxinan 1 May
Wenshan 1 April
Xiangxi 20 September
Xishuangbanna 23 January
Yanbian 3 September

Novel holidays

Some Chinese young adults have begun to celebrate 11 November as the Singles' Day (Chinese: 光棍节; pinyin: guāng gùn jié) because of the many ones (1s) and many singles in the date.[27]

Serfs' Emancipation Day, celebrated on March 28, was established in Tibet in 2009.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The authorities always refer to "Chinese New Year" as 'Spring Festival' since they recognize the Gregorian calendar.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "国务院关于修改《全国年节及纪念日放假办法》的决定". 2024-11-10.
  2. ^ "国务院关于修改《全国年节及纪念日放假办法》的决定". China.com.cn. 2016-05-13.
  3. ^ "Traditional Chibese Festivals".
  4. ^ "Chinese Festivals".
  5. ^ Xinhuanet.com "Xinhuanet.com." How will people spend China's 1st Qingming Festival holiday?. Retrieved on 2008-04-04.
  6. ^ Hite, Brittany (2013). "China's 2014 Holiday Schedule: Still Complicated". China Realtime. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  7. ^ "China's revised 2014 holiday schedule sparks public ire". Reuters Shanghai. 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2014-01-02.[dead link]
  8. ^ 国务院办公厅 (2019-11-21). "国务院办公厅关于2020年 部分节假日安排的通知（国办发明电〔2019〕16号）" (in Chinese). 中华人民共和国中央人民政府网. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  9. ^ 国务院办公厅 (2023-10-25). "国务院办公厅关于2024年 部分节假日安排的通知（国办发明电〔2023〕7号）". 中华人民共和国中央人民政府网. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  10. ^ 人大常委会关于植树节的决议（一九七九年二月二十三日通过），人民日报1979年2月24日，第1版
  11. ^ 庆祝护士节　全市护士今日集会，人民日报1950年5月12日，第3版
  12. ^ 人大常委会决定 九月十日为教师节，人民日报1985年1月22日，第1版
  13. ^ "China mulls changing Teachers' Day to birthday of Confucius". Xinhua News Agency. 6 September 2013. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013.
  14. ^ 我国新闻工作者将有自己的节日 十一月八日定为“记者节”，《人民日报》2000年8月11日，第4版
  15. ^ "国务院关于同意设立"中国人民警察节"的批复". 国函〔2020〕98号 (in Chinese (China)). 中华人民共和国中央人民政府. 2020-07-11. Archived from the original on 2020-09-19. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  16. ^ "安邦定国 重温习近平"总体国家安全观"的中国意蕴". 人民网 (in Simplified Chinese). 2020-04-15. Archived from the original on 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2020-04-15.
  17. ^ "国务院关于同意设立"中国航天日"的批复_政府信息公开专栏". www.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2022-09-17.
  18. ^ "国务院关于同意设立"全国科技工作者日"的批复_政府信息公开专栏". www.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2022-09-17.
  19. ^ "国家体育总局宣布每年8月8日为"全民健身日"". www.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2023-08-19. Retrieved 2023-08-19.
  20. ^ 庞博. "全国人大常委会决定8月15日为全国生态日__中国政府网". www.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2023-08-19. Retrieved 2023-08-19.
  21. ^ 人民日报 (2017-11-21). "国务院批复同意 每年8月19日为"中国医师节"" (in Chinese (China)). 中华人民共和国中央人民政府. Archived from the original on 2022-03-26. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  22. ^ "国务院关于同意设立"中国农民丰收节"的批复". 国函〔2018〕80号 (in Chinese (China)). 中华人民共和国中央人民政府. 2020-07-11. Archived from the original on 2020-09-25. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  23. ^ "First national Martyrs' Day remembers those who sacrificed for China". South China Morning Post. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  24. ^ "China creates Day of Taiwan's Restoration as part of sovereignty claims over island". The Washington Post. 2025-10-24. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-10-24.
  25. ^ "国务院关于同意设立"全国交通安全日"的批复（国函〔2012〕195号）_政府信息公开专栏". www.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2022-09-17.
  26. ^ "中共中央 国务院关于转发《中央宣传部、司法部关于在公民中开展法制宣传教育 的第四个五年规划》的通知 中央宣传部、司法部关于在公民中开展法制宣传教育的第四个五年规划". www.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2022-09-17.
  27. ^ "Thinking Chinese - A holiday invasion – Why are Chinese enthusiastically adopting new festive events?". Retrieved August 29, 2012.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_China