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 2010 / 2011 public holidays. Hope it can help you make a good plan of your China tour.
| 2010 / 2011 Major Public Holiday Calendar | ||||
| Festival | Date | Legal Holidays | Holidays of 2010 | Holidays of 2011 |
| New Year's Day | Jan. 1 | 1 day | Jan. 1- 3 | Jan. 1- 3 |
| Spring Festival | subject to the lunation | 3 days | Feb. 14. The | Feb. 3. The |
| Qingming Festival | Apr. 4 or 5 | 1 day | Apr. 5. The | Apr. 5. The |
| May Day | May 1 | 1 day | May 1 - 3 | May 1 - 3 |
| Dragon Boat Festival | the 5th day of the | 1 day | Jun. 16. The | Jun. 6. The |
| Mid-Autumn Day | Aug. 15 according | 1 day | Sep. 22. The | Sep. 12. The |
| National Day | Oct. 1 | 3 days | 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.
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