Official 2026 holidays in mainland China
From the State Council notice issued on 4 November 2025. “Make-up working days” are weekend days that become normal working days in exchange for the longer break.
| Holiday | Days off (2026) | Length | Make-up working days |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day 元旦 | 1–3 January | 3 days | Sunday 4 January |
| Spring Festival 春节 | 15–23 February | 9 days | Saturday 14 February, Saturday 28 February |
| Qingming 清明节 | 4–6 April | 3 days | None |
| Labour Day 劳动节 | 1–5 May | 5 days | Saturday 9 May |
| Dragon Boat Festival 端午节 | 19–21 June | 3 days | None |
| Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节 | 25–27 September | 3 days | None |
| National Day 国庆节 | 1–7 October | 7 days | Sunday 20 September, Saturday 10 October |
The Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) and National Day breaks are the long “Golden Weeks” when outbound travel peaks. Labour Day is a shorter but busy travel period.
What is known about 2027
Chinese New Year’s Day 2027 falls on 6 February 2027 (Year of the Goat). National Day is always 1 October. The exact days off and make-up working days for 2027 are set by the State Council’s annual notice, which for 2026 was issued in early November of the previous year. Until that notice appears, plan for “around” these dates rather than exact ones.
Countdown: preparing for a Golden Week
Dragon Trail’s 2025 research found that most outbound bookings are made within one month of travel; in August only 9% of people planning a Golden Week trip abroad had booked. So the useful preparation window is short.
- Six weeks before: confirm Alipay / WeChat Pay works at every till, and check your Chinese menu or price list is current.
- Four weeks before: update holiday opening hours on every profile; publish any special offer in Chinese with clear end dates.
- Two weeks before: plan staffing for the busiest days; brief staff on the ready-made Chinese replies.
- During the holiday: keep a simple tally of Chinese-speaking customers and their questions.
- One week after: note what ran out, what people asked and what to change next time.
Copy-ready notices
Holiday opening hours国庆假期营业时间：10月1日至7日，每天上午10点至晚上9点。欢迎光临！ National Day holiday hours: 1–7 October, open 10am–9pm daily. Welcome!New Year greeting with offer
新春快乐！2月6日至2月14日到店消费满【金额】即赠【礼品】，数量有限，送完即止。 Happy Lunar New Year! 6–14 February: spend [amount] and receive [gift] while stocks last.Closed notice
本店【日期】休息，【日期】恢复营业。给您带来不便，敬请谅解。 We are closed on [date] and reopen on [date]. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Common questions
Do Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore follow the same holidays?
No. Lunar New Year is celebrated widely, but public holiday dates and lengths differ by place. This calendar is for mainland China.
Is Golden Week good or bad for my business?
It depends on where you are. Popular destinations see more Chinese visitors; others see little change. Compare your sales in the last two Golden Weeks with the weeks around them.
Should I give red envelopes or use the number 8?
Small gestures such as a greeting in Chinese are appreciated. Avoid overdoing symbols you do not understand; a sincere, clear greeting works better than decorations copied from elsewhere.
Sources
- 国务院办公厅关于2026年部分节假日安排的通知 (State Council notice on 2026 holidays)State Council Information Office (reproduced from www.gov.cn) · checked 2026-10-15
- Chinese New Year (dates by year)Wikipedia · checked 2026-10-15
- Chinese Traveler Sentiment Report: September 2025Dragon Trail International · checked 2026-10-15
Still check yourself: The official 2027 holiday schedule. The 2026 notice was published on 4 November 2025; check for the 2027 notice from the State Council around the same time of year before planning around exact dates.