The golden week just past in China, also called Chinese national holiday, was from Oct. 01~07.
It drove customers mad because they couldn’t get reply during this period.
Customers complain that there’re so many holidays in China, just as much as strikes in France!
How many holidays in China in 2023?
Have a look and get well-prepared for the next year’s body massagers’ orders and production.
Jan. 01~03: New Year’s Day
Simply called New Year, is a festival observed in most of the world on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar. A great time to celebrate the end of an old year and the start of a new year.
People celebrate new year with one-day off, plus weekend, most places in China have 3 days off to celebrate the auspicious day!
Jan. 21~27: Chinese Lunar New Year, aka Spring Festival or Chinese New Year
As the biggest, most important, and grandest festival, the longest holiday in China, it falls on the first day of January Chinese lunar calendar, to celebrate the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar and solar Chinese calendar, a time to feast and visit family members.
Chinese new year 2023 will fall on Saturday, Jan. 21st, new year’s eve, starting a year of Rabbit, people enjoy at least 7 days off from New Year’s Eve to the sixth day of the lunar calendar new year, Jan. 27. Some factories are off for as long as one month!
Traditional food for Chinese new year:
- Dumplings;
- Spring Rolls;
- Rice cake;
- Sweet Rice Balls;
- Noodles;
- Fish
- Steamed Chicken;
- Steamed sponge cake
- Fruit (especially orange in southern China) and vegetables
How do Chinese celebrate new year:
- Through house cleaning and decorating
- The whole family reunites to have family dinner on New Year’s Eve
- Red envelopes for children and seniors
- Firecrackers
- Visiting relatives
- Folk shows and Temple fairs
Feb. 05: Lantern Festival
Also called Yuan Xiao Festival, falls on Chinese Lunar Jan. 15, which means the end of the new year celebration. People indulge themselves by appreciating and playing with glowing lanterns, guessing lantern riddles, eating glue pudding on this day, and preparing for the new year’s work and life!
March 8: Women’s Day
Known as International woman’s day which falls on March 8th.
Women play an important and great role in facilitating changes in family life and societal change.
On this day, women would receive special treats such as enjoying a half-day holiday and giving gifts to female employees.
Apr. 3~5: Tomb Sweeping Day
Also called Qingming Festival, fall on April 5th, is one-day Chinese holiday that has been celebrated in China for centuries. The day is an annual event to remember and honor ancestors. On Tomb Sweeping Day, families visit and clean the gravesite of their ancestors to show respect.
May 1st: Labor’s Day
Also known as May Day or International Worker’s Day, is a public holiday that celebrates worker’s contributions to the country. It’s a day off for the general population, plus weekend, schools, banks, and most businesses are closed for 3 days.
May 4th: Youth day
Every May 4th is Youth Day in China, in commemoration of patriotic campaign launched on May 4, 1919, a half-day holiday observed by youths aged 14-28
June 1st: Children’s Day
Officially called “June 1st International Children’s Day” in China, it falls on every June 1st.
Children are the future of the nation and the citizens of tomorrow.
Children’s Day is an important holiday around the world. In China, it’s a time for children to feel happy and loved. Most children under 14 years old have one day off.
June 22~24: Dragon Boat Festival
Also know as DuanWu Jie which occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, Duan means start and Wu means noon, it represents “the beginning of mid-summer festival”.
This festival has quite a sad backstory with a Chinese poet named Qu Yuan. After he threw himself into a river to end his life, the locals threw rice dumplings into the river to stop fish from eating his body.
People celebrate the holiday via the following ways:
*Eat Zongzi, a type of glutinous sticky rice dish.
*Family get-together.
*Hang Calamus on the door to ward off evil
*Watch the race of dragon boats
*Wearing perfume sachet
Aug. 1st: Army Day
Is a professional military holiday celebrated by the People’s Liberation Army of the People’s Republic of China on Aug. 1st every year, commemorates the day of the foundation of the People’s Liberation Army in 1927.
Soldiers in service have half a day off.
Aug. 2nd: Chinese Valentine’s day
Also called Qixi Festival, Double Seventh Festival, is celebrating the annual meeting of Zhinu and Niulang in Chinese mythology on the 7th day of the 7th month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
Observance, not holiday.
Aug. 30: Ghost Festival
Like Halloween in western countries.
Also known as Gui Jie falls on the 15th night of the seventh month in the lunar calendar.
Observance, a traditional festival for deceased ancestor worship. Not holiday.
Sep. 29~Oct. 01: Mooncake Festival
The Mid-Autumm festival also known as the Moon Festival or Moonake Festival, is a traditional and 2nd most important festival celebrated in Chinese culture.
People celebrate it by gathering for big feast with family and friends, worshipping the moon, eating mooncakes and lighting paper lanterns.
Oct. 01~07: Chinese National Day
Golden week, Celebration the founding of PRC on Oct. 1st, 1949
Officially the National Day of the People’s Republic of China, annual public holiday celebrated in China.
Oct. 23: Double Ninth Festival
Also known as Chongyang Festiva, falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month.
Observance, a festival is celebrated as the Senior Citizen’s Festival to show respect to the elderly.
Tips:
- Government offices and banks are off on the public holidays.
- Some business, like large malls, public transport, hotels, and restaurants will open as usual, even stay open longer than normal time.
- But during Chinese new year, most establishments close for one week, except for some service sectors like hotels, large restaurants and tourist place.