every year, china has 7 public holidays which are enjoyed by all citizens: new year, spring festival(chinese new year), qingming festival, labor day, dragon boat festival, mid-autumn and national day. the spring festival is the biggest festival in china.
The next public holiday in China is New Year’s Day. falls on January 1, 2023. the new year’s day holiday is from December 31, 2022 to January 2, 2023.
china public holiday calendar 2022
7 major Chinese holidays
The Chinese celebrate the following seven major holidays every 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 is not a traditional festival in China, most shopping malls are decorated during this festival and stores launch sales promotions.
2. the spring festival (chinese new year)
the spring festival is the most important festival and holiday in china. People enjoy a week-long vacation for family gatherings, and many traditions and activities take place during that time.
In terms of travel, Chinese New Year is one of the low seasons for tourism, but it is one of the best times to experience Chinese culture.
3. the qingming festival
In China, the Qingming Festival is also called Tomb Sweeping Day. the Chinese enjoy 3 days off. it is a time to worship the ancestors and start enjoying the greenery of spring.
4. labor day (may day)
The Chinese have a 5-day holiday on Labor Day. this is one of the peak travel times of 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 the Chinese.
Some of the more traditional customs include dragon boat racing, eating sticky rice dumplings (zongzi), hanging Chinese mugwort and calumus, drinking realgar wine, and wearing perfume bags.
6. the mid-autumn festival
the mid-autumn festival is the second most important festival in china. people have 3 days off.
It is also known as the moon festival or the moon cake festival. Some of the more traditional customs include family gatherings, admiring the full moon, eating mooncakes, and lighting lanterns.
7. national day (golden week)
The Chinese have a week off in early October every year for China’s national day. this is also a peak period for tourism, as many people take advantage of this holiday to travel with their families.
other festivals and public holidays of china 2022
In addition to the seven holidays above, other traditional and modern holidays and celebrations include:
- further reading: famous Chinese minority festivals
- public holidays in china in 2023
- 3-day public holidays: New Year’s Day, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival
- 5-day public holiday: Labor Day
- 7-day holidays: Chinese New Year, National Day
- 8-day kunming, dali, lijiang, and shangri-la tour
- 5-day chengdu, daocheng, and yading tour
- private 4 days highlights tour of lhasa
- more china tours specially designed for expats
chinese golden week holiday
the national day of china, the spring festival and the labor day are three “golden weeks” in china. It is the three longest public holidays in China: 7 days off each for China National Day and Spring Festival, and 5 days for Labor Day.
Long vacations drive the tourism industry. the prices of flights and hotel rooms skyrocket during the “golden weeks”, hence the name. Crowds are expected at the most popular tourist spots. If you’re planning a trip during a “golden week,” we recommend booking early and choosing less-traveled destinations.
frequently asked questions
1. what is the most important holiday in china?
Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in China. the Chinese 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 still operate during Chinese holidays?
Government offices and banks are closed, but will usually have staff on duty.
Some businesses will continue to operate during the holidays. most major shopping malls, tourist attractions, public transportation, hotels, and restaurants will open as usual, or even stay open longer.
3. how long are public holidays in china?
In total, the Chinese mainland has 13 public holidays excluding Saturdays and Sundays: four 3-day, one 5-day, and two 7-day holidays.
Each of these holidays uses at least two weekend days. if a holiday does not fall on a weekend, one or two adjacent weekend days are worked to compensate.
7-day vacations use four weekend days: two within the vacation and two adjacent weekend days, which are worked to compensate.
This is why the Chinese (who normally wouldn’t) sometimes have to work on Saturdays and Sundays.
spend your holidays with us
We can help you, whether you want to visit China to experience traditional Chinese festivals or prefer to avoid the Christmas 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 for more information.
or maybe start with one of our recommended sightseeing itineraries:
