Each year, China has 7 public holidays enjoyed by all citizens: New Year, the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), the Qingming Festival, Labor Day, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and National Day. The Spring Festival is the biggest holiday in China.
Although the Chinese New Year holiday has come to an end, the holiday atmosphere is still going on. For Chinese people, Lantern Festival (Feb. 5, 2023) marks the end of Chinese New Year.
The next China public holiday is Qingming Festival. It falls on April 5, 2023.
2023 China Public Holidays Calendar
| 2023 Date | Holiday Name | Holiday | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 1 | New Year's Day | Dec. 31 – Jan. 2 | |
| Jan. 22 | Spring Festival | Jan. 21 – 27 | Chinese New Year, China's biggest festival |
| Apr. 5 | Qingming Festival | Apr. 5 | Tomb Sweeping Day |
| May 1 | Labor Day | Apr. 29 – May 3 | A ‘golden week' for tourism |
| Jun. 22 | Dragon Boat Festival | Jun. 22–24 | People eat sticky rice dumplings and attend dragon boat races. |
| Sep. 29 | Mid-Autumn Festival | Sep. 29–Oct. 1 | Mooncake Festival |
| Oct. 1 | National Day | Sep. 30–Oct. 6 | Another ‘golden week' for tourism |
7 Major Chinese Holidays
Chinese people celebrate the following seven major public holidays each year.
1. New Year's Day
New Year's Day is one of the public holidays in China and people usually have 3 days off. Although it's not a traditional festival in China, most malls are decorated during this holiday and the shops launch sales promotions.
2. The Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)
The Spring Festival is China's most important festival and holiday. People enjoy a week's holiday for family reunions, and many traditions and activities are pursued during that time.
In terms of travel, Chinese New Year is one of the low seasons for tourism, yet it's one of the best times for experiencing Chinese culture.
3. The Qingming Festival
In China, the Qingming Festival is also called Tomb-Sweeping Day. Chinese people enjoy 3 days off (if connected to the weekend). It's a time for worshipping ancestors and starting to enjoy the greenery of spring.
4. Labor Day (May Day)
Chinese people have a 5-day holiday in Labor Day. This is one of the peak time for travel during the year.
5. The Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival, is a traditional cultural festival in China. There are 3 days off for Chinese people.
Some of the most traditional customs include dragon boat racing, eating sticky rice dumplings (zongzi), hanging Chinese mugwort and calumus, drinking realgar wine, and wearing perfume pouches.
6. The Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival is the second most important festival in China. People have 3 days off.
It's also known as the Moon Festival or the Mooncake Festival. Some of the most traditional customs include family gatherings, admiring the full moon, eating mooncakes, and lantern lighting.
7. National Day (Golden Week)
Chinese people have a week off in early October each year for the China National Day. This is also a peak period for tourism since many people use this holiday to travel with their families.
Other China Festivals and Holidays 2023
Besides the seven public holidays above, other traditional and modern holidays and observances include:
| 2023 Date | Holiday | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 5 | Lantern Festival | Lanterns decorations, lantern riddles, eating tangyuan (sweet sticky rice balls) |
| Feb. 21 | Tibetan New Year | One of the grandest festivals in Tibet |
| Mar. 8 | Women's Day | All adult females have half a day off. |
| Apr. 22 | Double Third Festival | People in Guangxi have 2 days off. |
| May 4 | Youth Day | Youths aged 14–28 years old have half a day off. |
| Jun. 1 | Children's Day | Children under 14 years of age have one day off. |
| Aug. 1 | Army Day | Soldiers in service have half a day off. |
| Aug. 22 | Qixi Festival | Chinese Valentine's Day |
| Aug. 30 | Ghost Festival | A traditional festival for ancestor worship |
| Oct. 23 | Double Ninth Festival | A day for the old — senior citizens' day |
- Further reading: Famous Chinese Minority Festivals
Chinese Golden Week Holidays
China National Day, Spring Festival and Labor Day holidays are three ‘golden weeks' in China. They are the three longest holidays in China: 7 days off each for China National Day and the Spring Festival, and 5 days for Labor Day.
Long holidays boost the tourism industry. Prices of flights and hotel rooms soar during the ‘golden weeks' — hence their name. Crowds are expected at popular tourism spots. If you are planning a trip during a ‘golden week', we recommend booking in advance and choosing less-traveled destinations.
FAQs
1. What is the biggest holiday in China?
Chinese New Year is the biggest holiday in China. Chinese people have seven days off, and some may have 15 days off. Most establishments close for up to a week, except for some in the service sector, such as hotels and large restaurants.
2. Do businesses keep running during China public holidays?
Government offices and banks are shut, but they will usually have some staff on duty.
Some businesses will keep running during the holidays. Most large malls, tourist attractions, public transport, hotels, and restaurants will open as usual, or even stay open longer.
3. How long are public holidays in China?
In total, Chinese mainland has 13 statutory days off for public holidays not counting Saturdays and Sundays: four 3-day holidays, one 5-day holiday, and two 7-day holidays.
- 3-day public holidays: New Year's Day, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival
- 5-day public holiday: Labor Day
- 7-day public holidays: Chinese New Year, National Day
These holidays each utilize at least two weekend days. If a holiday doesn't coincide with a weekend, an adjacent weekend day or two is worked to compensate.
7-day holidays use four weekend days: two within the holiday and two adjacent weekend days, which are worked to compensate.
This is why Chinese people (who wouldn't normally) are sometimes required to work on Saturdays and Sundays.
Spend Your Holidays with Us
We can help, whether you would like to visit China to experience traditional Chinese festivals or you would prefer to avoid the holiday crowds.
All our tours can be customized. We will create a trip for your vacation according to your group size, time, budget, interests, and other requirements. Contact us to find out more.
Or maybe start from one of our recommended tour itineraries:
