Bank and public holidays in China: 2017-2018 guide

For those who aren’t familiar with the lunar calendar, staying on top of holidays in China can be complicated and confusing. It doesn’t help that the government changes its public holidays each year, and doesn’t release a a list of national holidays for the coming year until, usually, December of the year before. There are, however, some important Chinese holidays that can be expected to occur every year, and this guide will help you familiarize yourself with those. Your own research will be required, especially for future years, to know what holidays to expect in China, but read on for a primer on the basics of bank and public holidays in the country.

National holidays in China

There are 10 national holidays in China, depending on the year.

• Chinese public holidays: 10
• Chinese bank holidays: 8

Celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in China

Mother’s Day isn't widely celebrated in China, but it’s gaining popularity there. Many have rejected it as a custom that originated in the United States, but respect for elders is very much in line with Chinese culture, so it’s gaining traction. Carnations are the most common gift given to mothers on Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day isn't considered a public holiday in China though.

In mainland China, Father’s Day isn't widely known. In areas with larger international populations, like Hong Kong and Macau, some celebrate it, but it's not a recognized holiday in China.

The most important holidays and dates in China

While China’s holiday calendar will vary each year, there are a handful of holidays and festivals that can be expected yearly. The most important of these by far is the Chinese New Year, which is celebrated with fireworks, traditional food and dances and wearing red for luck in the coming year.

China celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8th. On that day, women are allowed to take a half day off work if they would like to.

Spring and mid-autumn festivals are widely celebrated in China. There’s also Tomb Sweeping Day in the spring for honoring the dead. Chinese laborers enjoy a three-day weekend on International Labour Day. And Chinese National Day, which commemorates the founding of the People’s Republic of China, is celebrated with fireworks and concerts.

List of public holidays in China for 2017

Holiday	Name of holiday in Chinese (Simplified)	2017 Date	Bank holiday?
Western New Year	元旦	1 January, 2017	Yes, observed on 2 January, 2017
Chinese New Year	春节	27 January through 2 February, 2017	Yes
Women’s Day	国际妇女节	8 March, 2017	No
Ching Ming Festival	清明节	2-4 April, 2017	Yes
Tomb Sweeping Day	清明节	4 April, 2017	Yes
Labour Day	劳动节	May 1, 2017	Yes
Dragon Boat Festival	端午节	28-30 May, 2017	Yes
National Day	国庆节	1 October, 2017	Yes, observed 1-6 October, 2017
Mid-Autumn Festival	中秋节	4 October, 2017	Yes
Chung Yeung Festival	重阳节	28 October, 2017	No

List of public holidays in China for 2018

Holiday	Name of holiday in Chinese (Simplified)	2018 Date	Bank holiday?
Western New Year	元旦	1 January, 2018	Yes
Chinese New Year	春节	15-21 February, 2018	Yes
Women’s Day	国际妇女节	8 March, 2018	No
Tomb Sweeping Day	清明节	5 April, 2018	Yes
Labour Day	劳动节	May 1, 2018	Yes
Dragon Boat Festival	端午节	Around 18 June, 2018	Yes
National Day	国庆节	1 October, 2018	Yes, observed 1-5 October, 2018
Mid-Autumn Festival	中秋节	24 September, 2018	Yes
Chung Yeung Festival	重阳节	17 October, 2018	No

List of public holidays in China for 2019

Holiday	Name of holiday in Chinese (Simplified)	2019 Date	Bank holiday?
Western New Year	元旦	1 January, 2019	Yes
Chinese New Year	春节	4-10 February, 2019	Yes
Women’s Day	国际妇女节	8 March, 2019	No
Tomb Sweeping Day	清明节	5 April, 2019	Yes
Labour Day	劳动节	May 1, 2019	Yes
Dragon Boat Festival	端午节	Around 7 June, 2019	Yes
National Day	国庆节	30 September through 4 October, 2019	Yes
Mid-Autumn Festival	中秋节	13 September, 2019	Yes
Chung Yeung Festival	重阳节	7 October, 2019	No

Sending money home for the holidays in China?

Unless you’re familiar with the lunar calendar, making international bank transfers to and from China around the holidays could be tricky — you might get caught needing to make a transfer on a day that banks are unexpectedly closed. Instead of transferring through a bank, give TransferWise a try. TransferWise allows you to move money as quickly as possible for as little as possible by moving money between local accounts, so it never crosses borders. That means you don’t pay any international or intermediary fees. TransferWise also uses the actual exchange rate, like you'd see on Google, without any hidden fees or markups. All you have to pay is a small, fair transfer fee that’s spelled out upfront.

TransferWise also offers borderless multi-currency accounts, which allow users to manage, send and receive money in multiple global currencies all at the same time — 27 currencies so far, with more being added all the time. If you live in one country and get paid in the UK, the US, the EU or Australia, then you can even get bank details to get paid like a local. Borderless account holders will also have access to consumer debit cards beginning in 2018.

Moving money across borders doesn’t have to be difficult, slow or expensive. Try TransferWise today to see the difference.

Celebrating like a local in China is just a matter of being aware of the country’s holidays and customs. Now that you know the basics, you’re ready for a fun holiday season without any unexpected holidays.