festival

Operating Hours & Public Holidays

Operating Hours

Offices in China are generally open from 8am-5pm with a 1-2 hour lunch break between. Most offices close during their lunch break so plan accordingly.

Shops are generally open from early and do not close for lunch.

Tourist sites are usually open from 8am-5pm.

Museums are generally open 6 days a week but close during lunch. Many museums are closed on Mondays.

Public Holidays

Offices and museums are generally closed on public holidays. Shops tend to remain open.

Date	Festival	Details
January 1	Western New Year’s Day	Though not celebrated in China, it is a state holiday
January 24-28, 2001*	Lunar New Year (Spring Festival)	China’s most important holiday. Families gather together to eat, exchange gifts and welcome in the new year.
March 8	International Women’s Day	A state holiday.
April 4-5	Qing Ming (Tomb-sweeping) Festival	The traditional day to visit and clean ancestors graves.
May 1	Labor Day	Holiday honoring workers
May 4	International Youth Day	Memorializes the May 4 Movement of 1919.
June 6, 2000 / June 25, 2001*	Dragon Boat Festival	Festival memorializing the poet and patriot Qu Yuan who drowned himself in political protest.
June 1	Children’s Day	Honors children
July 1	Anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party	A state holiday.
August 1	Anniversary of the founding of the PLA	Honors the armed forces.
September 12, 2000/ October 1, 2001*	Mid-Autumn Festival	A lunar holiday celebrated during the harvest period. Families gather to eat moon cakes and light candles.
October 1	National Day	Commemorates the Communist victory in 1949

* Lunar holidays. Dates of these holidays change yearly dependent on the lunar calender.