China Holiday Calendar

China Public Holidays 2026: Official Dates, Makeup Workdays & Factory Shutdown Guide

7 holiday periods, 33 days off, 6 makeup workdays (调休). Source: State Council official notice. Best leave hack: take 3 days off for 13 consecutive days.

2026 Holiday Schedule

HolidayChineseDatesDays
New Year's Day元旦January 1, 2026 (Thu) – January 3, 2026 (Sat)3
Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)春节February 15, 2026 (Sun) – February 23, 2026 (Mon)9
Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day)清明节April 4, 2026 (Sat) – April 6, 2026 (Mon)3
Labour Day劳动节May 1, 2026 (Fri) – May 5, 2026 (Tue)5
Dragon Boat Festival端午节June 19, 2026 (Fri) – June 21, 2026 (Sun)3
Mid-Autumn Festival中秋节September 25, 2026 (Fri) – September 27, 2026 (Sun)3
National Day (Golden Week)国庆节October 1, 2026 (Thu) – October 7, 2026 (Wed)7

Makeup Workdays (调休 Tiáoxiū) — Weekends You Must Work

This is what most English-language holiday calendars get wrong. China's 调休 system means some Saturdays and Sundays are mandatory workdays. Factories run, banks open, government offices operate. If you're scheduling shipments, meetings, or deadlines with Chinese partners, these dates matter:

💡 Subscribe to our .ics calendar (English) — it includes both holidays AND makeup workday reminders in your Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, or Outlook.

Chinese New Year 2026: Factory Shutdown Timeline

The official holiday is February 15, 2026 – February 23, 2026 (9 days). The practical impact is much longer:

PhaseTypical TimingWhat Happens
Pre-CNY slowdown~2 weeks beforeWorkers start leaving for hometowns; production slows, QC harder to schedule
Full shutdownFeb 15 – Feb 23Factories closed, logistics halted, banks/government closed
Gradual restart1–2 weeks afterWorkers return gradually; some don't return at all (high turnover). Full capacity resumes ~2–3 weeks post-holiday

Action items for importers: Place orders 4–6 weeks before CNY. Confirm shipping dates by early January. Expect 3–4 week total disruption to production and logistics.

Long Weekend Planner: Best Leave Strategies for 2026

Take up to 5 days of annual leave and get the longest consecutive time off. All plans account for makeup workdays.

Take 5 off 15
Feb 15 (Sun) – Mar 1 (Sun)
Take leave: Feb 24 (Tue), Feb 25 (Wed), Feb 26 (Thu), Feb 27 (Fri), Feb 28 (Sat)
Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)3x leverage
Take 5 off 15
Sep 23 (Wed) – Oct 7 (Wed)
Take leave: Sep 23 (Wed), Sep 24 (Thu), Sep 28 (Mon), Sep 29 (Tue), Sep 30 (Wed)
Mid-Autumn FestivalNational Day (Golden Week)3x leverage
Take 5 off 12
Apr 24 (Fri) – May 5 (Tue)
Take leave: Apr 24 (Fri), Apr 27 (Mon), Apr 28 (Tue), Apr 29 (Wed), Apr 30 (Thu)
Labour Day2.4x leverage
Take 5 off 10
Mar 28 (Sat) – Apr 6 (Mon)
Take leave: Mar 30 (Mon), Mar 31 (Tue), Apr 1 (Wed), Apr 2 (Thu), Apr 3 (Fri)
Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day)2x leverage
Take 5 off 10
Jun 12 (Fri) – Jun 21 (Sun)
Take leave: Jun 12 (Fri), Jun 15 (Mon), Jun 16 (Tue), Jun 17 (Wed), Jun 18 (Thu)
Dragon Boat Festival2x leverage
Take 5 off 9
Jan 10 (Sat) – Jan 18 (Sun)
Take leave: Jan 12 (Mon), Jan 13 (Tue), Jan 14 (Wed), Jan 15 (Thu), Jan 16 (Fri)
1.8x leverage
Take 5 off 9
Jan 24 (Sat) – Feb 1 (Sun)
Take leave: Jan 26 (Mon), Jan 27 (Tue), Jan 28 (Wed), Jan 29 (Thu), Jan 30 (Fri)
1.8x leverage
Take 5 off 9
Mar 7 (Sat) – Mar 15 (Sun)
Take leave: Mar 9 (Mon), Mar 10 (Tue), Mar 11 (Wed), Mar 12 (Thu), Mar 13 (Fri)
1.8x leverage

2026 Full-Year Calendar

Red = public holiday, gray = weekend, amber = makeup workday (weekend but you work). Hover for holiday names.

Public Holiday Weekend Makeup Workday
January
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031
February
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
232425262728
March
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031
April
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930
May
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
June
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930
July
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031
August
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31
September
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930
October
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031
November
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30
December
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public holidays does China have in 2026?

China has 7 official holiday periods in 2026, totaling 33 days off (including weekends within holiday ranges). However, 6 weekend days are designated as makeup workdays (调休 tiáoxiū) — you work on those Saturdays/Sundays to "pay back" the extended holidays.

What are makeup workdays (调休)?

China's unique 调休 (tiáoxiū) system extends holidays by rearranging nearby weekends. For example, if a holiday falls on Thursday, Friday becomes a holiday too — but the following Saturday becomes a workday. This means some weekends are NOT days off. Factories, offices, and government services operate on these days. International partners must account for this when planning shipments, meetings, or deadlines.

When is Chinese New Year 2026? Do factories shut down?

The official Chinese New Year holiday runs February 15, 2026 to February 23, 2026 (9 days). However, most factories shut down 1–2 weeks before and reopen 1–2 weeks after — the practical shutdown is typically 3–4 weeks. Plan shipments and inventory accordingly.

When is Golden Week 2026?

Golden Week (National Day) runs October 1, 2026 to October 7, 2026 (7 days). Factories close for the full week; logistics slow down 2–3 days before and after. Domestic travel peaks — book hotels and flights early.

Where does this data come from?

Official source: State Council General Office Notice on 2026 Public Holiday Arrangements (国务院办公厅《关于2026年部分节假日安排的通知》（国办发明电〔2025〕7号）). Cross-verified against chinese-days open-source dataset and officeholidays.com.

Resources

Download 2026 China Holiday Calendar (.ics, English) · Vietnam Public Holidays 2026 · Working Day API · 中文版 (Chinese version)