National Holidays
Ethnic Minority Festivals
Tourism Festivals
Traditional Festivals
China has 16 legal festivals, including New Year's Day, Spring Festival, May Day, National Day, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival when all Chinese people will be on vacation. The other nine are for special industries or specific people like Women's Day, Arbor Day, Youth Day, International Nurse Day, Children's Day, Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese Communist Party (the Party's Birthday) and Army Day of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Teacher's Day, and Journalists' Day. At the festivals, people can enjoy the legal holidays. Always a lot of people go out of their homes for traveling or shopping.
Among these, two are 'Golden Weeks' (Spring Festival and National Day). Both holidays last for three days but by combining two weekends with them, people benefit from seven consecutive days off. During these two weeks, most people go out and enjoy themselves in a great variety of ways with a resultant boost to the economy, hence the nickname 'Golden Week'. Hotel rooms, train tickets or air tickets will definitely be in great demand then. Therefore, we recommend that people who are planning China tour packages avoid these Golden Weeks in view of the huge crowds that gather at the major tourist attractions.
Some people have a half day off on the following national holidays or anniversaries. Women have half day off on Women's Day. Young people over 14 years of age have a half day off on Youth Day. Children under 14 years old have a day off on Children's Day. Active members of the army have a half-day holiday on Army Day.
People celebrate these special national days but they do not have time off: Arbor Day, International Nurses' Day, Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese Communist Party, Teachers' Day, and Journalists' Day.
The table below provides the detailed information of 2009 and 2010 public holidays. Hope it can help you make a good plan of your China tour.
| 2009&2010 Public Holidays Schedule | ||||
| Festival | Date | Legal Holidays | Holidays of 2009 | Holidays of 2010 |
| New Year's Day | January 1st | 1 day | January 1st-January 3rd | January 1st-January 3rd |
| Spring Festival | Subject to the lunation. | 3 days (the last day of the last lunar month and the first and second days of the first lunar month) | It falls on January 26th, 2009. The holiday is from January 24th to January 28th, 2009 | It falls on February 14th, 2010. |
| May Day | May 1st | 1 day | May 1st - 3rd, 2009 | May 1st - 3rd, 2010 |
| Mid-Autumn Day | August 15th according to the lunar calendar | 1 day | It falls on October 3rd, 2009. Together with the national holidays, there are 8 days' holiday, from October 1st to October 8th. | It falls on September 22nd, 2010. The holiday is from September 22nd to September 24th. |
| National Day | October 1st | 3 days (October 1st, 2nd, 3rd) | Together with the Mid-Autumn Day, there are 8 days' holiday, from October 1st to October 8th | October 1st - 7th, 2010 |
| Qingming Festival | April 4th or April 5th | 1 day | It falls on April 4th, 2009. The holiday is from April 3rd to April 5th. | It falls on April 5th, 2010. The holiday is from April 3rd to 5th. |
| Dragon Boat Festival | the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. | 1 day | It falls on May 28th, 2009. The holiday is from May 28th to May 30th. | It falls on June 16th, 2010. The holiday is from June 16th to June 18th. |
| Women's Day | March 8th | half day for women | half day of March 8th | half day of March 8th |
| Arbor Day | March 12th | no days off | no holidays | no holidays |
| Youth Day | May 4th | half day for youth above 14 years old | half day of May 4th | half day of May 4th |
| International Nurse Day | May 12th | no days off | no holidays | no holidays |
| Children's Day | June 1st | 1 day for children under 13 years old | June 1st | June 1st |
| Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese Communist Party | July 1st | no days off | no holidays | no holidays |
| Army Day of the Chinese People's Liberation Army | August 1st | half day for active army | half day of August 1st for active army | half day of August 1st for active army |
| Teachers' Day | September 10th | no days off | no holidays | no holidays |
| Journalists' Day | November 8th | no days off | no holidays | no holidays |
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Travelers' Voices on Chinese Holidays
1.
Nov. 16,2009 22:34 Reply
Mr.P. said:
Does anyone know the dates of the winter holidays in China for kindergarten schools and universities?
Nov. 17,2009 04:35
Mr.yins(cn) replied:
Hi, the students will be dismissed before Feb.
As the for the exact date, different schools may have diferent regulations.
2.
Nov. 12,2009 00:27 Reply
Mr.ROY(INDIA) said:
HOW MANY HOLLIDAY OF CHINA MARKETS(GUANGZHOW) IN SPRING FESTIVAL 2010,WHICH DATE OF HOLLYDAYS IN SPRING FESTIVAL
Nov. 12,2009 04:39
Mr.jimes(cn) replied:
The date 2-14-2010 is chinese new year. The spring festival lasts 7 days.
3.
Nov. 10,2009 04:45 Reply
Mrs.lim(Malaysia) said:
when is the best time to visit Qinghai ?
Nov. 11,2009 04:34
Mr.yina(cn) replied:
Qinghai's climate is characterized by short cool summers and long freezing winters. Due to drastic temperature fluctuations from day to night, summer may be the best time to visit Qinghai because this is when the road to Tibet, via Golmud is open and its climate is friendliest to its visitors.
Source: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/qinghai/
4.
Nov. 10,2009 21:31 Reply
Ms.Kate Insh(CHina) said:
Chinese New Year is a crazy and fun time to be in China, but... Haven't been in Beijing over the holiday, but in Shanghai fireworks and crackers are let off all over the place - in quiet roads, pavements, on roofs and even from balconies, building to a tremendous climax when the whole sky blazes and the sound of rockets and crackers explodes into a booming echoing madness you might expect in a war zone. You have to be aware that gloomy figures at street corners may well be uncoiling and lighting a couple of metres of strung explosives or else a box containing a whole display's worth of enormous rockets and fountains etc. Catherine wheels aren't pinned to walls, but whirr crazily round, screaming and fizzing along the pavements. People spend a lot on their fireworks. Everyone knows what to expect and you either just go (drive!) round them or hover about to enjoy the free show. Actually more shops seem to stay open here than in Hong Kong where the smaller more local places all shutter down and become family mahjong parlours and private dining zones. There are carnivals and things which are colourful public organised events, but as in Shanghai, lots of workers head for the lao jia (ancestral home) to enjoy the treasured days of public holiday. If you want a peaceful time, don't come at New Year. Bigger restaurants, particularly western ones and those in hotels will be open, but you may not just be able to walk in as it's currently fashionable to eat in foreign restaurants over the holiday - at least in Shanghai. I have friends who always escape off for the duration. I like it. You see whole family groups in new clothes, out for walks together enjoying the wintry sun, and there is a great festive mood but it is a essentially a family holiday.
5.
Nov. 5,2009 07:25 Reply
Ms.Serene(Singapore) said:
Hi! Is lunar new year 13-20 Feb 2010 a good time to visit China, in particular Beijing and Yunnan?
Nov. 8,2009 04:17
Mr.cindy(cn) replied:
It is ok. Beijing is a little bit cold at that time, you'd better take a warm coat!
6.
Oct. 30,2009 07:13 Reply
Ms.Wong(Malaysia) said:
Can i check when is the china school holiday in 2010?
Oct. 31,2009 20:23
Mr.rita(cn) replied:
What do you mean? The summer holiday of chinese school?
I do not think there is an exact date now.
7.
Oct. 28,2009 12:14 Reply
Mrs.jacqueline long(USA) said:
im not scared of lions,tigers,and bears
8.
Oct. 18,2009 20:53 Reply
Mr.peter(Singapore) said:
I want to the dragon boat festival in 2010, when should i go to china
Oct. 18,2009 22:57
Mr.paul(usa) replied:
Hi, it falls on 2010-6-16, you can plan your trip at that time
9.
Oct. 14,2009 17:43 Reply
Mrs.villalobos(united states) said:
this is the only website that actually answered my question... thxz sooooo much
10.
Oct. 11,2009 02:39 Reply
Mr.Jonathan(Kuwait) said:
hey just wanted to know when is the normal weekend holiday in china???
Oct. 11,2009 21:30
Mr.jill(CN) replied:
Saturday and sunday