How Many Public Holidays Does China Actually Have? Let’s Break It Down

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Alright, let’s get straight to it. You might have heard people say China has 7 official public holidays, or maybe 11, or even more if you count the long weekends. The truth is, it can get a bit confusing because the Chinese government loves to “adjust” working days to create longer breaks. So, if you’re planning a trip or just trying to figure out when your Chinese colleagues are off, you need the real deal. Let me walk you through exactly how many public holidays China has, what they are, and how the whole “make-up workday” system works.

First off, officially, China has seven legal public holidays under the State Council regulations. These are the big ones that employers are required to observe (though some private companies may vary). Here they are:

• Neujahr (January 1) – 1 day
• Frühlingsfest (Chinese New Year, based on lunar calendar) – 3 days (usually the first three days of the lunar year)
• Qingming-Fest (Tomb Sweeping Day, around April 4-5) – 1 day
• Tag der Arbeit (May 1) – 1 day
• Drachenbootfest (lunar date, usually June) – 1 day
• Mittherbstfest (lunar date, usually September/October) – 1 day
• Nationalfeiertag (October 1) – 3 days

So that adds up to 11 days of statutory holiday… wait, did I say 11? Yes, because Spring Festival and National Day each have 3 days, making the total 1+3+1+1+1+1+3 = 11. But the government often combines these with weekends and “make-up workdays” to create longer consecutive breaks. For example, National Day is always a 7-day “golden week” (October 1-7) by swapping the weekends before and after. Similarly, Spring Festival usually gets a week off. So the actual days you don’t work can be much more than 11, but the legally required paid holidays are still 11 days.

Now, here’s the kicker: not all days are equal. The official list of public holidays in China includes only these 7 events (with multi-day ones counting as separate days). But in practice, the total number of “holidays” that people enjoy – including the adjusted weekends – often exceeds 20 days a year. For instance, in 2024, the total days off from public holidays were 27 (including weekends that were swapped). That’s why you’ll hear different numbers.

Also, there are some special cases. For minority groups in certain regions, like Tibetans or Muslims in Xinjiang, there are additional local holidays. But that’s not nationwide. For most people, the 7 legal public holidays are the backbone.

Questions related to how many public holiday in china

1. Why do people say China has 7 public holidays when it adds up to 11 days?
Because they count the *event* not the *days*. Spring Festival is considered one “holiday” that lasts 3 days. So when listing, they say “7 public holidays” meaning 7 types of holidays. It’s a common way to phrase it.

2. Do all workers get these days off?
The law says yes. But in reality, some industries (like retail, hospitality, or healthcare) have people working on these days, and they get overtime pay or compensatory time off. Also, private companies sometimes don’t fully follow the rules, though it’s getting better.

3. How are the make-up workdays scheduled?
To create a long weekend, the government will declare a Saturday or Sunday a workday, and then shift that off day to a Friday or Monday. For example, if May 1 is a Tuesday, they might make the previous Sunday a workday and give you Monday and Tuesday off. It can be a headache for planning, but it’s announced well in advance.

4. Are there any new public holidays being added?
There have been discussions about adding more traditional festivals, but as of now, no changes. However, in some years, the government has extended certain breaks (like in 2020 during COVID) but that was temporary.

5. How does China compare to other countries?
With 11 statutory days, China is average globally. Some countries have 15-20 days, but China’s golden weeks make up for it in terms of consecutive time off. Plus, many Chinese workers get 5-15 days of annual leave on top of that.

So, to sum it up: China has 7 official public holidays (11 days off) but thanks to the “transfer” system, you often get more days off in practice. If you want the exact number for a specific year, always check the latest State Council notice. And next time someone asks, you can confidently say “It’s 11 days of paid holidays, but with golden weeks, you might get up to 27 days off total!”

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