China 2026 Public Holidays

New Year's Day

1 January. In many countries the day off moves to the following Monday when it falls on a weekend.

The first day of the Gregorian calendar year, and the most widely observed public holiday in the world — a day off in almost every country that uses the Gregorian calendar, regardless of religion. Several countries extend the break to 2 January, and some in East Asia keep both the Gregorian and a separate lunar new year.

International Women's Day

8 March.

Marks the struggle for women's rights, with roots in the labour movement of the early 1900s. A full public holiday across the post-Soviet states; a half day for women only in China; and an observance in most of the rest of the world.

Labour Day

1 May in most countries.

International Workers' Day, commemorating the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, and a public holiday in most of the world. The United States and Canada are the notable exceptions, holding their Labor Day in September instead.

Youth Day

Varies by country.

Honours young people, often on the anniversary of a student-led political event — the Soweto uprising in South Africa, the May Fourth Movement in China.

Children's Day

1 June across the post-Soviet states and much of Asia; other dates elsewhere.

Honours children. A public holiday in a number of countries, and in China a day off for children under thirteen rather than for everyone.

Army Day

Varies by country.

Marks the founding of a country's army. Where it is a holiday it is often limited to serving personnel rather than the general population.

National Day

Varies by country — a founding, unification, or constitutional anniversary.

The principal patriotic holiday of a country that does not frame its national day as independence — a founding, unification, revolution or monarch's day depending on the state.

National Day Holiday

Additional days off around the national day.

Extra days attached to the national day. China's National Day break in early October is the largest example, running seven days with weekends rescheduled around it.