Public Holidays in China
Statutory public holidays in China, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
China at a glance
China observes seven statutory public holidays each year, set nationally by the State Council. Short holidays are stretched into longer blocks by swapping weekends, a practice known as tiaoxiu, which is why a one-day festival can become a three-day break.
Spring Festival and National Day each generate a Golden Week of seven or more consecutive days off, and the surrounding travel rush is the largest annual human migration on earth.
China public holidays 2026
The dates below come from China’s published calendar for 2026. Open the full year for the complete list.
| Holiday | Date | Year |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1Thu | 2026 |
| Spring Festival Eve | Feb 16Mon | 2026 |
| Chinese New Year | Feb 17Tue | 2026 |
| Spring Festival Golden Week holiday | Feb 18Wed | 2026 |
| Spring Festival Golden Week holiday | Feb 19Thu | 2026 |
| Spring Festival Golden Week holiday | Feb 20Fri | 2026 |
| Spring Festival Golden Week holiday | Feb 21Sat | 2026 |
| Spring Festival Golden Week holiday | Feb 22Sun | 2026 |
| Lantern Festival | Mar 3Tue | 2026 |
| International Women's Day | Mar 8Sun | 2026 |
| Arbor Day | Mar 12Thu | 2026 |
| Zhonghe Festival | Mar 20Fri | 2026 |
Showing 12 of 37 dates recorded for 2026.
Major cities in China
The urban centres that anchor most trips to China.
Beijing
Imperial grandeur paired with a fast modern core, base for the Forbidden City and hutong courtyards.
Shanghai
China's financial engine, where the Bund's facades face Pudong's glass towers.
Xi'an
Terminus of the Silk Road and home of the Terracotta Army, ringed by an intact city wall.
Chengdu
Gateway to Sichuan's giant panda reserves and the country's great teahouse culture.
Guilin
Limestone peaks above the Li River, the signature landscape of southern China.
Guangzhou
Heart of the Pearl River Delta and birthplace of Cantonese dim sum.
Top attractions in China
The places that draw most visitors to China.
Great Wall
Mutianyu and Jinshanling offer restored and wild stretches, far quieter than Badaling.
Forbidden City
Nearly 600 years of imperial power in 980 surviving buildings.
Terracotta Army
Thousands of life-size warriors guarding the tomb of Qin Shi Huang.
Zhangjiajie
Sandstone pillars piercing the cloud line, said to inspire Avatar's floating mountains.
Li River
The 83 km drift from Guilin to Yangshuo past karst peaks and fishing villages.
West Lake
Pagodas, causeways and tea terraces that shaped Chinese landscape painting.
Festivals, food and getting around China
What the calendar looks like on the ground, and how to move through the country around it.
Festivals behind the holidays
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New Year's Day
Falls on Jan 1
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Spring Festival Eve
Falls on Feb 16
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🎉
Chinese New Year
Falls on Feb 17
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🎉
Spring Festival Golden Week holiday
Falls on Feb 18
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🎉
Spring Festival Golden Week holiday
Falls on Feb 19
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🎉
Spring Festival Golden Week holiday
Falls on Feb 20
Food & drink
Getting around
High-speed rail beats flying for trips under 1,000 km once security is counted; book the moment tickets release during Chunyun or Golden Week.
Travelling around China’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in China tighten around major holidays; reserve early for the busiest weeks.
Check opening hours
Museums, banks and government offices usually close on statutory holidays, and often on the nearest Monday.
Carry local currency
Small vendors and rural businesses frequently take cash only, especially on holidays when banks are shut.
Expect crowded transport
Long weekends produce the year's heaviest road, rail and air traffic. Build in extra travel time.
Confirm the official list
China's holiday dates are confirmed by government announcement; check the year page for the final arrangement.
Plan the long weekends
Pairing a holiday with adjacent weekends gives the longest breaks of the year — and the busiest.
China public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does China have?
China has 37 dates recorded on its 2026 calendar, ranging from national statutory holidays to widely marked observances that are not days off work.
Where can I find the full 2026 list?
The complete 2026 calendar for China is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are China's public holidays paid?
Statutory national holidays are generally paid leave for employees. Observances and commemorative days are usually not.
Do holidays move if they fall on a weekend?
Where a holiday falls on a weekend, China typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in China?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for China?
Calendars are published for 2027, 2026, 2025.