When making plans for a tour of China, some general knowledge about Chinese holidays can be useful to avoid transportation peaks and crowded tourist attractions. There are three kinds of public holidays in China: national holidays, holidays for some citizens, and the traditional ones for Chinese ethnic groups.
All Chinese people take a vacation on the national holidays, which include New Year's Day (January 1st), Spring Festival (1st day of the first lunar month), Tomb-sweeping Day (April 4th or 5th), May Day (May 1st), Dragon Boat Festival (5th day of the 5th lunar month), Mid-Autumn Festival (15th day of the 8th lunar month), and National Day (October 1st).
In addition to these national holidays, there are also some for certain groups of citizens: Women's Day (March 8th), Youth Day (May 4th), Children's Day (June 1st), and Army Day (August 1st). These groups usually have half a day off for these holidays.
Ethnic groups in China have their own holidays according to tradition, such as the Tibetan Spring Festival (January 1st in Tibetan calendar), the Water-Splashing Festival of the Dai Nationality (14th to 16th of April, 24th to 26th day of the sixth month of the Dai calendar), and the Nadam Fair of the Inner Mongolian people (Between July and August).
For students and teachers, summer vacation usually falls in July and August, and winter vacation starts from the week before the Spring Festival and ends one week after the Spring Festival holiday.
Calendar of 2016 and 2017 Chinese Public Holidays
Holidays
|
Legal Holiday
|
Date
|
Days Off, 2016
|
Days Off, 2017
|
New Year's Day
|
1 day
|
Jan. 1st
|
Jan. 1st ~ 3rd
|
Jan. 1st ~ 3rd |
Spring Festival
|
3 days
|
Chinese New Year Eve, the 1st and 2nd days of the first lunar month
|
Feb. 7th ~ 13th
|
Jan. 27th ~ Feb. 2nd |
Tomb-Sweeping Day
|
1 day
|
Apr. 4th or 5th
|
Apr. 2nd ~ 4th
|
Apr. 2nd ~ 4th |
May Day
|
3 days
|
May 1st
|
Apr. 30th ~ May 2nd
|
Apr. 29th ~ May 1st |
Dragon Boat Festival
|
1 day
|
5th day of the 5th lunar month
|
Jun. 9th ~ 11th
|
May 28th ~ 30th |
Mid-Autumn Festival
|
1 day
|
15th day of the 8th lunar month
|
Sep. 15th~17th
|
Together with National Day Holiday |
National Day
|
3 days
|
Oct. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
|
Oct. 1st ~ 7th
|
Oct. 1st ~ 7th |
Women's Day
|
half a day for women
|
Mar. 8th
|
Mar. 8th
|
Mar. 8th
|
Youth Day
|
half a day for the youth above 14 years old
|
May 4th
|
May 4th
|
May 4th |
Children's Day
|
one day for children under 14 years old
|
Jun. 1st
|
Jun. 1st
|
Jun. 1st |
Army Day
|
half a day for active servicemen
|
Aug. 1st
|
Aug. 1st
|
Aug. 1st |