China Holidays

Chinese people legally enjoy over 115 days off including 104 days of  weekends and 11 days of festivals. Employees have 5 to 15 days of paid  annual leave. Students and teachers have summer and winter vacations for about three months. The summer vacation in China generally starts  around July 1st and ends around August 31st, and the winter vacation  usually falls on January or Februry according to the date of the Spring  Festival.

Public Holiday Calendar
China has 7 legal holidays in a year, including New Year's Day, Spring Festival,  Qingming Festival, May Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival  and National Day. At the festivals, all Chinese people will be on  vacation. The table below provides detailed information of 2011 /  2012 public holidays. Hope it can help you make a good plan of your  China tour.

2011 / 2012 Major Public Holiday Calendar Festival Date Legal Holidays Holidays of 2011 Holidays of 2012 New Year's Day Jan. 1 1 day Jan. 1- 3 Jan. 1- 3 Spring Festival subject to the lunation 3 days Feb. 3. The holiday is Feb. 2 - 8 Jan. 23. The  holiday is Jan. 22 - 28 Qingming Festival Apr. 4 or 5 1 day Apr. 5. The holiday is Apr. 3 - 5. Apr. 5. The  holiday is Apr. 5 - 7. May Day May 1 1 day Apr. 30 - May 2 May 1 - 3 Dragon Boat Festival the 5th day of the 5th lunar month 1 day Jun. 6. The holiday is Jun. 4 - 6. Jun. 23. The  holiday is Jun. 22 - 24. Mid-Autumn Day Aug. 15 according to the lunar calendar 1 day Sep. 12. The holiday is Sep. 10 - 12. Sep. 30. The  holiday is Sep. 30. National Day Oct. 1 3 days (Oct. 1 - 3) Oct. 1  - 7 Oct. 1  - 7

Besides the 7 legals festivals on which all people can enjoy days off,  Chinese people celebrate four other festivals on which some people have a half day off - Women's Day, Youth Day, Children's Day and Army Day.  Many other festivals and anniversaries are celebrated even without days  off, such as Arbor Day and Teachers' Day.

Categories of Chinese Holidays
Due to the long  history and glorious culture of China, the Chinese people celebrate a  great many festivals which can be divided into the following four major categories: national holidays designated by the government to  commemorate some special events; traditional festivals - a reflection of the traditional Chinese customs; ethnic minority festivals unique to  specific Chinese ethnic groups; tourism festivals associated with  renowned Chinese scenic spots. Various holidays show a window through  which Chinese culture and daily life can be seen vividly.

Tips for Traveling in 'Golden Weeks'
Among all the  Chinese holidays, there are two 'Golden Weeks' - Spring Festival Week  and National Day Week. Both of the two 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.