2011 China National Public Holiday Schedule
2011 China Public Holiday Schedule was announced by the State Council of China recently. A glimpse of the schedule will better know your vacation & traveling in the country, helping you to participate in special cultural activities or avoid the crowds at festivals.
2011 China Public Holiday Schedule | ||||
Festival | Date | Duration | Origin | Festive Activities |
New Year | Jan. 1 to 3 | 3 days | To celebrate the beginning of a new year. | New Year resolution; sending postcards & greetings to friends and family members; New Year parties. |
Spring Festival | Feb. 2 to 8 | 8 days | Chinese Lunar New Year, is a big time for family reunions. | Family reunion dinner; Spring Festival galas; fireworks shows; visiting relatives & friends; traditional custom shows. |
Qingming Festival | Apr. 3 to 5 | 3 days | To show respect to the dead. | Sweeping family gravesites and burning paper money; flying kites; spring plowing for harvest; drinking yellow wine. |
Labor Day | Apr. 30 to May 2 | 3 days | The same with western countries. | Cultural performances for laborers. |
Dragon Boat Festival | Jun. 4 to 6 | 3 days | A festival in memory of Quanyuan, a famous patriotic poet. | Dragon boat race; eating zongzi (rice dumplings)ï¼›wearing sachets (tiny bags filled with fragrant herbs). |
Mid-Autumn Day | Sept. 10 to 12 | 3 days | To worship the Moon and Chinese Goddess Chang E. | Moon worshiping ceremony; family get-together; eating moon cakes; appreciating the Moon & lyric compositions; touring the lantern fair. |
National Day | Oct. 1 to 7 | 7 days | To celebrate the funding of P. R. China. | National Day parade; folk song competitions; charity & voluntary programs. |
Special Notes
Festivals provide nice opportunities for foreign tourists to experience festive China in periods with the authentic culturally-steeped atmosphere. For instance, the Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival pledge visitors unique access to Chinese history, legends and festival culture in place. They will see, taste and enjoy more, compared with tours on normal days.
Every coin has two sides. Though it is fruitful to tour China during festivals, it can not be so perfect. On these holidays, the Chinese are free of work and cramming to make their seasonal travels in China. So it is usual to find that scenic spots are jammed with home tourists; buses and hotels are crowded with people. Moreover, the festivals are always rated as high tourism season and the price for hotels and meals will go up a lot, too. If you are planning to visit China during festivals, you'd better be prepared for crowds and higher prices.
China Odyssey Tours advises visitors to take China Tours on common days, or travel China by taking advantage of Christmas, a low tourism season in China, which means better enjoyment with fewer expenses.
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