Festivals in China

January 24th 2018 - Laba Festival 腊八节

Laba congee ➚ is traditionally eaten on this minor festival. It is held on the 8th day of the twelfth lunar month and is associated with the Buddhist festival marking the Buddha's enlightenment. The festival is observed mostly in northern China and not much in the south. It is not a public holiday.

Dates : Thu Jan 5 2017    Wed Jan 24 2018    Sun Jan 13 2019   

February 16th 2018 - Chinese New Year: Spring Festival (春节 chūn jié) or New Year (新年 xīn nián)

Teacup media relating to this topic by Laszlo Montgomery (audio only).

Chinese New Year ➚

New Year is the main annual festival in China determined by the old Chinese calendar. It falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, so it is falls towards the end of January or early February. For at least 2,000 years it has been a time for all families to get together, often traveling long distances across China (bàinián 拜年 a New Year visit). Brightly colored papers and paper cut designs are displayed everywhere often carrying the character ‘fu’ for good fortune. Traditionally a week before the festival, the home is cleaned and dusted, the image of the kitchen god is honored so he gives a good report of the house and its occupants to heaven. One legend has it that a kitchen god was so disgusted with a family's antics that he petitioned the Jade Emperor to wipe out mankind, but a delay gave people a few days to tidy things up so everything looked better on a final inspection and disaster averted. The family's ancestral temple and tombs are visited. The traditional lion dance is often seen in public festivities. The festival lasts a whole week of public holiday (Feb 15th to Feb 21st in 2018) and during this time everyone tries to be on their best behavior to set the tone for the whole year.

Buying supplies for the Chinese New Year Festival, Shenzhen Copyright © Dreamstime see image license

The ancient legend is that each year a ferocious monster called Nian 年 attacked a village. The creature was enticed to eat food laid out for it rather than the villager's crops. Then the people found it was frightened by a child dressed in red; from then on red lanterns, red signs and all things red were put out to frighten the monster away. At the stroke of midnight firecrackers are set off, drums and gongs are bashed to scare the Nian off (as well as deafen everybody!). Nowadays there are large firework displays in the cities. The formal part of the festival in Imperial China took place at the Temple of Heaven, Beijing where the Emperor performed solemn rituals to seek heaven's blessing for the new year.

Each New Year has an associated astrological animal; for more on pigs; rats; dogs; dragons; tigers; goats; roosters; snakes; horses; oxen; rabbits and monkeys please see our Astrology section. Peach blossom is traditionally used for decorating the home to bring long life and keep demons at bay. The ancestors are given due reverence at the festival. When guests arrive they should bring along food or a gift; these can take the form of packets of 'lucky paper money' in red envelopes (Hongbao ➚). Fish and Jiaozi (dumplings) are often eaten, the character for fish yu 鱼 sounds the same as the character yu 余 meaning 'surplus; abundance' so fish have a lucky connotation. The entrance to a house is given two inscriptions on red paper on either side of the entrance, this goes back to very ancient days when sheep's blood was used to smear the doorway. There are certain activities that are banned due to superstitions that could jinx the coming year, pears should not be cut (they symbolize divorce); signatures should not be written in red ink; people should not be wished happy new year if they are still in bed; umbrellas and fans are unlucky presents; shoes should not be given to a boy/girlfriend as they symbolize departure; the number four (四 sì) should be avoided as it is an unlucky number and the house should not be swept during the holiday as that will sweep away good luck.

To mark the end of the financial year debts are paid off so the year can be started with a clean sheet. Employers often give an extra payment so everyone can pay off any debts owed. Traditional fairs are held outside temples selling all sorts of small gifts and decorations during the holiday.

Dates : Sat Jan 28 2017    Fri Feb 16 2018    Tue Feb 5 2019   

March 2nd 2018 - Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao 元宵节)

The Lantern festival is on the first full moon after the New Year and marks the end of the Spring festival. Lanterns are lit and in places very long paper dragons parade the streets. The lanterns lit the way for the ancestral spirits to go home to their tombs after joining the family for the festivities. Great creativity was used in lantern design, including moving parts; some towns had riddles painted on them to entertain the people. Tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) are eaten and fir branches placed above doors. The traditional lion dance was originally tied to just this festival but now are seen more generally throughout the year. In the countryside diseases were removed by making a procession out of the village, taking the illness with it. Children, often in scary masks, used to put on little stage shows and pantomimes.

Celebrating Lantern Festival, Liuzhou, Guangxi Copyright © Dreamstime see image license

Dates : Sat Feb 11 2017    Fri Mar 2 2018    Tue Feb 19 2019   

March 18th 2018 - Blue Dragon Festival (Zhonghe or Longtaitou 龙抬头)

The double second (2nd day of 2nd lunar month) marks the first tentative signs of Spring. The name ‘Blue Dragon’ reflects the tradition of waking the dragons that control the rains, Longtaitou literally means ‘dragon raise head’. It usually occurs around the time of 惊蛰 Jīngzhí in the lichuan calendar which marks the stirring of insects; originally fumigation was carried out to kill off the emerging insects. The festival is now celebrated by cleaning the house, having a haircut, eating popcorn, pancakes and noodles. Zhonghe Festival (中和节) is another ancient festival traditionally held on the day before (1st of the 2nd lunar month) so nowadays the two are celebrated together. It is not a public holiday.

Dates : Mon Feb 27 2017    Sun Mar 18 2018    Fri Mar 8 2019   

March 28th 2018 - Flower Festival

The traditional Flower Festival is held on the twelfth day of the second lunar month. The great Tang Empress Wu Zetian is associated with this minor festival when the birthday of the Flower God is celebrated. It roughly marks the time of the emergence of the first flowers of Spring. It is also a good day to plant up the garden ready for summer.

April 4th 2018 - Birthday of the Goddess of Mercy

Statue of Guanyin (Guanshiyin or Avalokitesvara), Goddess of Mercy, Sanya, Hainan

The most revered of Buddhist bodhisattvas is Guanyin ➚, the Goddess of Mercy who intercedes on behalf of any who pray to her. Her birthday is traditionally marked by a minor festival on the 19th of the second lunar month. One of the holiest places sacred to her is on Putuo Island, Zhejiang where there is a tall statue looking out East over the ocean.

April 5th 2018 - Clear and Bright Festival (清明节 qīng míng jié)

Traditionally the family tomb is cleaned and swept on Qing Ming day with fresh offerings laid out for the ancestors. This festival is anchored to the solar year rather than lunar year and so always falls between April 4th to 6th. It marks the start of Spring and is associated with kite flying. It has similarities to the Christian Easter Spring festival in that eggs are prepared and eaten. In some areas boys used to wear willow wreathes on their heads to summon rain for the growing season.

Dates : Tue Apr 4 2017    Thu Apr 5 2018    Fri Apr 5 2019   

April 18th 2018 - Shangsi or Double Third Festival 上巳节

Celebrated on the 3rd day of the 3rd Lunar month, Shangsi was traditionally a day for cleaning the house and going away on an outing. It is not an official holiday in China. The festival marks the birthday of the Queen Mother of the West ➚ (Xi Wangmu), a leading Daoist deity and is also known as the Banquet of Peaches of Immortality. The day is associated with many folk beliefs to do with the opening of portals between the living and the dead. The founding Yellow Emperor is also believed to have had his birthday on this day. Sticky rice cakes called baba 粑粑 are sometimes eaten.

Dates : Thu Mar 30 2017    Wed Apr 18 2018    Sun Apr 7 2019   

April 30th 2018 - Birthday of the God of Wealth

Chinese Lunar New Year money god poster in Hong Kong. Image by Mk2010 ➚ available under a Creative Commons license ➚

If you want to become more prosperous then making the appropriate offerings to the God of Wealth (Zhao Gongming) or God of Money (Cai Shen) on his birthday could do the trick. This birthday is marked on the 15th day of the third lunar month of the traditional calendar. He is often depicted with an iron club and riding a black tiger. There are various conflicting legends concerning his life which dates back before the Qin dynasty. It is a minor festival and not a public holiday.

May 1st - Labor (May) Day (Laodongjie 劳动节)

A modern international holiday to mark the toil of workers takes place on 1st May. It is a one day holiday reflecting the socialist/communist history of the PRC. The new festivals like Labor Day introduced since the PRC was founded have gradually given way to the traditional ones, three whole days used to be allocated but this has been reduced to one day since 2008.

June 18th 2018 - Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu 端午节)

A dragon boat race at Foshan, Guangdong. 2011 Copyright © Dreamstime see image license

The highpoint of the sun's journey at the Summer Solstice in the year marks the start of the warmest part of the year, but also the reduction in length of day. This has become the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth month which often falls near the solstice. As well as procuring rain from the water controlling dragons for the summer crops, it commemorates the life of Qu Yuan (340-278 BCE), an incorruptible public official who drowned himself in defiance of unjust rule. Many boats went in search for his body and from this legend dragon boat races take place throughout the world. Triangular rice cake 粽子 zòng zi and garlic 蒜 suàn are particular associated with this festival, some are fed to the fish on the basis that they would then leave Qu Yuan's body alone. It is only recently (2008) that this has become an official public holiday again. Hong Kong is well known for the large number of races that take place each year. The fifth month is generally regarded as the most unlucky month and charms were used to keep the bad influence at bay.

Dates : Tue May 30 2017    Mon Jun 18 2018    Fri Jun 7 2019   

June 26th 2018 - Rain Festival 雨节

Rain is essential for crops and another minor festival, the Rain Festival, like the Dragon Boat festival, is associated with rain on the 13th of the fifth month. Ceremonies used to seek just the quantity of rain, not too little and not too much. Like St. Swithin's day ➚, the absence of rain on this day may presage a drought. There are many gods of rain and legends about them. As rain is associated with dragons they feature prominently in such tales including the Jinlong Si Dawang (Golden Dragon King). It is not a public holiday.

July 13th 2018 - Half Year Festival 半年节

Half way through the lunar calendar year is on the 1st day of the 6th month, andit is a time to reflect on the year so far. Mainly celebrated in southern China, the Half Year Festival is in places treated as an echo of the New Year Festival, with fire crackers, zong zi (glutinous rice) and family get-togethers. According to legend in Jiashanwu Village near Hangzhou a long drought was ended by the efforts of a mysterious old man. It is a minor festival and not a public holiday.

July 18th 2018 - Clothes Drying Day 晒衣节

As the sun’s heat reaches its full power this minor festival is set aside to lay out anything that needs drying in the sun. Clothes; bedding; papers; grain are some of the things that can benefit from a thorough airing and drying in the sun. Clothes Drying Day takes place on the sixth day of sixth month. The legend is that the Dragon King, ruler of water, spent this day drying its scales. Another tale is that it was the day when the Buddhist scriptures that were being carried into China in the 'Journey to the West' were laid out to dry; and so temples used to bring out the Classic scriptures for a good airing. It is a minor festival and not a public holiday.

August 22nd 2017 - Start of Ghost Month 鬼门开

The seventh month of the traditional Chinese calendar is associated with ghosts. The Hungry Ghost festival in the middle of the seventh month is the main festival but some people also mark the start of the month - Ghost Gate. The ghost month is considered unlucky, spirits wander around for the whole month and so new projects and enterprises should not be started. One superstition of relevance is to avoid sticking chopsticks vertically into rice as this invites in the ghosts. It is a minor festival and not a public holiday.

August 28th 2017 - Chinese Valentine's Day (Qixi 七夕节)

This festival has its origins as a festival for women, honoring Niulang, a weaver, who was separated by the gods from her husband, a cowherd. She spent this one dry night with her husband by following a bridge made by magpies. The husband and wife are the stars Vega ➚ and Altair ➚ and the bridge is the Milky Way. It is held on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month and nowadays it is marked by exchanging gifts between sweethearts. On the preceding day people used to look to the future with various customs that foretold their future. A number of traditional games tested the dexterity of girls in deference to Niulang - the skilled weaver. It was also said to be the day when the Queen Mother of West visited the Emperor. In some regions it is also associated with lanterns and guiding spirits as it falls within the Ghost month.

Dates : Fri Sep 9 2016    Mon Aug 28 2017    Fri Aug 17 2018   

September 5th 2017 - Spirit day or Hungry Ghost Festival (Yú lán pén 盂兰盆 )

A setup of foods offered to all sentient beings and hungry ghosts. Taken at Hsi Lai Temple during Sangha Day 2006. Image by Thetruthaboutfgs ➚ available under a Creative Commons license ➚

This festival is held on the 15th day (full moon) of the 7th lunar (ghost) month. It is also known as the Mid year festival (中元节 zhōng yuán jié). Traditionally the sufferings of ancestors are appeased by making offerings of food or incense at the ancestral shrine. Paper flags are hung over doorways to keep out the hungry ghosts.

Dates : Wed Aug 17 2016    Tue Sep 5 2017    Sat Aug 25 2018   

September 13th 2017 - Birthday of Zhuge Liang

During the Three Kingdoms period Zhuge Liang ➚, the loyal and capable chancellor of the Shu Han kingdom stands out as an example of a virtuous life. His birthday is marked on the 23rd of 7th lunar month in the traditional calendar. He was nick-named ‘crouching dragon’ for his adept military strategies. To mark this day Chinese sky lanterns ➚, traditionally said to have been invented by Zhuge Liang, are lit and allowed to drift into the sky. It is a minor festival and not a public holiday.

September 28th - Confucius' Birthday (Ji Kong Dadian 祭孔大典)

Traditionally the birthday of Confucius was celebrated on the 27th of the 8th Lunar month particularly at his birthplace of Qufu in Shandong. It is now tied to a specific day, the 28th September each year.

October 1st - National Day (Guoqingjie 国庆节)

National day marks the founding of the Peoples Republic on 1st October 1949. There are often three days of public holiday in all, shifted to give a continuous five day holiday when combined with a weekend.

October 4th 2017 - Mid Autumn or Moon Festival (Zhongqiujie 中秋节)

The Moon Festival takes place at full moon in the 8th lunar month (15th day), it marks the very end of harvest. Lanterns are lit and moon cakes are cooked and consumed in large numbers. It celebrates Chang'e the goddess of the moon and particular the romance with the archer god Houyi. Traditionally, spirits of the dead came forth to feast on the fruits of summer harvest. People would climb hills and mountains to watch the rising of the full moon with the greeting 看月亮 Kàn yuè liang ‘Look at the bright moon’!

Dates : Thu Sep 15 2016    Wed Oct 4 2017    Mon Sep 24 2018   

October 28th 2017 - Double Ninth (Chongyang 重阳节)

On the 9th day of the 9th month people used to take to high ground and fly all sorts of kites as a way of appeasing the spirits. It follows the traditional story of Huan Jing ➚ of the Han dynasty, who was told to move to high ground to escape disaster. In Chinese numerology 9 is a strong yang number and is generally inauspicious; so this day had to be treated with respect. Food was laid out to calm the spirits of the ancestors. Because 9 九 jiǔ sounds like forever 久 jiǔ it has now become associated with elderly people and since 1989 has also been celebrated as ‘Seniors Day’.

Dates : Sun Oct 9 2016    Sat Oct 28 2017    Wed Oct 17 2018   

A very recent special day, is ‘Single's Day’ when young , single people buy themselves presents. The festival started among men at Nanjing University in the 1990s and has caught on rapidly in cities throughout China and amongst single women too. The choice of date is based on the fact that 11.11 has four single 'ones' in it. It is now a popular day to declare love and propose marriage. It is not a national holiday.

November 13th - Nanjing Massacre Memorial Day

In 2014 a new memorial day was inaugurated to commemorate the many who died when the Japanese invaded Nanjing on this day in 1938. It is not a public holiday.

December 21st - Mid Winter (Dongzhi 冬至)

Dongzhi marks the important point of the mid Winter solstice (December 22nd or more rarely 21st), the shortest day, and is traditionally a time for eating rice balls or dumplings after offerings have been made to the kitchen god. This festival like Qingming is tied to the sun rather than the moon.

Dates : Wed Dec 21 2016    Fri Dec 22 2017    Sat Dec 22 2018