List of observances set by the Chinese calendar


The traditional Chinese holidays are an essential part of harvests or prayer offerings. The most important Chinese holiday is the Chinese New Year, which is also celebrated in Taiwan and overseas ethnic Chinese communities. All traditional holidays are scheduled according to the Chinese calendar.
Chinese Lunar Calendar dateGregorian dateEnglish NameChinese NameDescription
1st day of 1st MonthJanuary 25, 2020Chinese New Year 農曆新年/农历新年

春節/春节

大年初一
Set off fireworks after midnight; visit family members
15th day of the 1st monthFebruary 8, 2020Lantern Festival元宵節/元宵节Lantern parade and lion dance celebrating the first full moon. Eating tangyuan. This day is also the last day of new year celebration. This is Tourism Day in Taiwan
2nd day of the 2nd monthFebruary 24, 2020Zhonghe Festival 中和節/中和节
青龍節/青龙节		Eat Chinese pancakes and noodles, clean the house. Also known as Dragon Raising its Head This is Earth God's Birthday in Taiwan
Third day of third monthMarch 26, 2020Shangsi Festival上巳節/上巳节Traditional Chinese Women's Day, also known as 婦女節/妇女节.
At the Qingming solar term, solar longitude of 15°, 104 days after winter solsticeApril 4, 2020Qingming Festival 清明節/清明节
Visit, clean, and make offerings at ancestral gravesites, spring outing
105th day after dongzhiApril 5 by the Gregorian calendar, except in leap yearsCold Food FestivalHán Shí Jié
Eighth day of the fourth monthApril 30, 2020Buddha's Birthday佛誕/佛诞
Visit Buddhist temple, offer food to the monks
Fifth day of the fifth monthJune 25, 2020Duanwu Festival 端午節 端午节
Dragon boat race, eat sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves Zòng Zi. This festival commemorates the ancient poet Qu Yuan; drink yellow rice wine, related to the White Snake Lady legend
Seventh day of the 7th monthAugust 25, 2020Qixi Festival 七夕
According to legend, the goddess "Zhi Nü" fell in love with the farmer boy "Niu Lang", but was disapproved by her mother goddess. As punishment, they were separated by the Milky Way and could only meet once a year on this night.
15th night of the seventh month September 2, 2020Ghost Festival中元節/中元节
Burn fake paper money and make offerings to ancestors and the dead to comfort them in the afterlife and keep them from troubling the living.
15th day of the 8th monthOctober 1, 2020Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋節/中秋节
Eat mooncake, family union meal, related to the legend of Chang E, the Jade Rabbit and The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, also called "Chinese Thanksgiving".
9th day of the 9th monthOctober 25, 2020Double Ninth Festival 重陽節/重阳节
Autumn outing and mountain climbing, some Chinese also visit the graves of their ancestors to pay their respects.
At the Dongzhi solar term, solar longitude of 270°, the day of winter solstice December 21, 2020Dongzhi Festival 冬至
Have Tangyuan and Jiuniang and perform ancestor worship, Feast day, family gatherings, also named "Chinese Thanksgiving"
8th day the 12th monthJanuary 21, 2021Laba Festival臘八節/腊八节
This is the day the Buddha attained enlightenment. People usually eat Laba congee, which is made of mixed grains and fruits. Beginning of the preparation for Chinese new year.
Last day of lunar yearFebruary 11, 2021Chinese New Year’s Eve除夕

大年夜

Public holidays

Traditional holidays are generally celebrated in Chinese speaking regions. For the most part however, only Chinese New Year, Qingming Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival are statutory public holidays. This is the case in both mainland China and Taiwan whilst Hong Kong and Macau also observe Buddha's Birthday and Chung Yeung Festival. In Singapore, Chinese New Year is the only traditional Chinese public holiday likewise with Malaysia
Each region has its own holidays on top of this condensed traditional Chinese set. Mainland China and Taiwan observe patriotic holidays, Hong Kong and Macau observe Christian holidays, and Malaysia and Singapore celebrate Malay and Indian festivals.