Chinese Calendar dates

Tuesday 7^th January 2025

Laba Festival (Làbā jié 腊八节)

Laba congee ➚ is traditionally eaten on the Laba festival. It is held on the 8th day of the twelfth lunar month and is associated with the Buddhist festival marking 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 18 2024  Tue Jan 7 2025    

Wednesday 29^th January 2025

Chinese New Year - Spring Festival (Chūnjié 春节)

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 held 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. Brightly colored red papers and paper cut designs are displayed everywhere frequently carrying the character ‘fu’ for good fortune. The traditional lion dance is seen in public festivities. The festival lasts a whole week of public holiday (Jan 21st to Jan 27th in 2023) and during this time everyone tries to be on their best behavior to set the tone for the whole year. It is considered not just the start of a new year but everybody's birthday too.

There are large firework displays in the cities. 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. 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 a dish of fish has a lucky connotation. The entrance to a house is often decorated with couplets written in large calligraphy on red paper on either side of the entrance. Traditional fairs are held at temples selling all sorts of small gifts and decorations during the holiday.

Dates : Sat Feb 10 2024  Wed Jan 29 2025  Tue Feb 17 2026  

Wednesday 12^th February 2025

Lantern Festival (Yuánxiāojié 元宵节)

The Lantern festival also known as (上元节 Shàng yuán jié) is on the first full moon after the New Year and marks the very end of the Spring Festival. Lanterns are lit and in places very long paper dragons parade the streets. The tradition is that lanterns light the way for the ancestral spirits to go back to their tombs after joining the family for the festivities. Great creativity is used in lantern design, they come in all shapes and sizes (globes, dragons, lamps) and can include moving parts. Before electric light was available this was widely considered the most attractive and brilliant festival of the year. Many lanterns are made of lucky red paper and some lanterns have entertaining riddles painted on them. Tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) or yuanxiao are eaten and fir branches placed above doors. Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a vegetable often eaten at the festival. The traditional lion dance was originally tied to only this festival but now are seen more generally throughout the year. In the countryside it was believed that disease could be banished at this time by a long procession out of the village, with many firecrackers scaring away and taking the illness with it. Children, often in scary masks, used to put on little stage shows and pantomimes.

Dates : Sat Feb 24 2024  Wed Feb 12 2025    

Saturday 1^st March 2025

Blue Dragon Festival (Lóng tái tóu 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. It was originally the time when fumigation was used 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 an ancient festival traditionally held on the preceding day (1st of the 2nd lunar month) so nowadays the two are celebrated together. It is not a public holiday.

Dates : Mon Mar 11 2024  Sat Mar 1 2025    

Tuesday 11^th March 2025

Flower Festival (Huā zhāo jié 花朝节)

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 which celebrates the birthday of the god of flowers. It roughly marks the time of the first flowers of Spring. It is also a good day to plant up the garden ready for summer.

Tuesday 18^th March 2025

Birthday of Guanyin (Guàn yīn dàn 观音诞)

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 huge statue looking out East over the ocean.

Monday 31^st March 2025

Shangsi Festival (Shàngsìjié 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 the festival is also known as the Banquet of Peaches of Immortality. The day is associated with many folk beliefs concerning 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 Apr 11 2024  Mon Mar 31 2025    

Saturday 12^th April 2025

Birthday of the God of Wealth (Zhào gōngmíng 赵公明)

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. You will often see sculptures of toads associated with him as these are also denote riches. It is a minor festival and not a public holiday.

Saturday 31^st May 2025

Dragon Boat Festival (Duānwǔjié 端午节)

The highpoint of the sun's journey at the Summer Solstice marks the start of the warmest season, but also the gradual reduction in length of days. It is celebrated as the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth month which often falls near the summer 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 and famous poet who drowned himself in defiance of false accusations maliciously made against him. Many boats went out in search for his body and from this legend, dragon boat races take place throughout the world.

Pyramid-shaped rice cakes 粽子 zòng zi and garlic 蒜 suàn are associated with this festival, some are fed to the fish on the basis that they would then leave Qu Yuan's body alone. Two teams of 15-30 people race each other in boats (around 66 feet [20 meters] long) with a decorated dragon prow. One person stands and beats the drum to set the rhythm for the rowers. Sometimes the races are held in the evening with the boats lit by red lanterns. It is only recently (2008) that this has once again become an official public holiday. 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, for example with pictures of Zhong Kui or putting iris flowers over the door. Stems and leaves of the herb mugwort or calamus were made into figure shapes and hung from the lintel to keep away pests and diseases. Traditionally Realgar ➚ wine (containing Arsenic sulfide) was drunk to kill off internal parasites and infections. It was also one of the few days of financial settlement in a year - debts were paid off and accounts settled.

Dates : Mon Jun 10 2024  Sat May 31 2025    

Sunday 8^th June 2025

Rain Festival (Yǔ jié 雨节)

Rain is essential for crops and so a minor festival, the Rain Festival is associated with bringing rain on the 13th of the fifth month. Ceremonies wish for just the right 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 and the Dragon Boat festival was originally about rain. 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.

Wednesday 25^th June 2025

Half Year Festival (Bàn nián jié 半年节)

The half way point of the lunar calendar year falls on the 1st day of the 6th month, and it is a time to reflect on the year so far. Mainly celebrated in southern China, the Half Year Festival is a small 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.

Monday 30^th June 2025

Clothes Drying Day (Shài yī jié 晒衣节)

When the sun’s heat reaches its full power this minor festival is the occasion to lay out anything that needs drying in the sun. Clothes, bedding, papers and 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 his 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 scriptures for a good airing. It is a minor festival and not a public holiday.

Saturday 23^rd August 2025

Ghost Gate Opens (Guǐ mén kāi 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, marriages and enterprises should not be started. One superstition of relevance is to avoid sticking chopsticks vertically into the ricebowl as this invites in the ghosts. It is a minor festival and not a public holiday.

Friday 29^th August 2025

Chinese Valentine’s Day (Qīxìjié 七夕节)

This festival has its origins as a festival for women, honoring Zhinu 织女, a weaver, who was separated by the gods from her husband, Niulang 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 follow various customs to foretell their future. Also traditional games were played to test the dexterity of girls in deference to Zhinu - the skilled weaver. It was also said to be the day when the Daoist immortal 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. Nowadays is more like the western Valentine's Day - couples give each other presents to show their enduring affection.

Dates : Sat Aug 10 2024  Fri Aug 29 2025    

Saturday 6^th September 2025

Hungry Ghost (Yúlánpén 盂兰盆)

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. Prayers are also said for spirits who have no families to venerate them. Paper flags may be hung over doorways to keep out the hungry ghosts.

Dates : Sun Aug 18 2024  Sat Sep 6 2025    

Monday 6^th October 2025

Mid Autumn Festival (Zhōngqiūjié 中秋节)

The Autumn Moon Festival takes place at full moon in the 8th lunar month (15th day), it marks the end of harvest. Lanterns are lit and round moon cakes are cooked and consumed in large numbers - these are usually filled with soybean paste, lotus seeds and egg yolk and covered in pastry. As there is a tradition that a rabbit lived on the moon, rabbits or hares are a popular image. Another tradition is to layout peaches, melon or grapes in a circle of thirteen as there are 13 lunar months in a year. It was also one of the few days of financial settlement in a year - debts were paid off and accounts settled. Ancient pagodas were decorated with lanterns to shine out at night. It celebrates Chang'e, the goddess of the moon, and particularly her 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 : Tue Sep 17 2024  Mon Oct 6 2025    

Wednesday 29^th October 2025

Chong Yang Festival (Zhòngyángjié 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. If a mountain or hill is not to hand a tall building or pagoda would be climbed. It follows the legend of Huan Jing ➚ of the Han dynasty, who was told by the gods to move to high ground to escape floods. In Chinese numerology 9 is a strong yang number and is generally inauspicious; so this day had to be treated with respect. Food is laid out to calm the spirits of the ancestors. As chrysanthemums are usually in flower, chrysanthemum wine is often drunk and petals are collected to flavor next year's batch. Because nine 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 : Fri Oct 11 2024  Wed Oct 29 2025