Public holidays in the Republic of China
Encyclopedia
Holiday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
s in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Some are official holidays, some are not:
| Date | English Name | Local Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Founding Day | Founding of Republic of China Republic of China The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor... on January 1, 1912 | |
| February 28 | 228 Peace Memorial Day | 228 Incident 228 Incident The 228 Incident, also known as the 228 Massacre, was an anti-government uprising in Taiwan that began on February 27, 1947, and was violently suppressed by the Kuomintang government. Estimates of the number of deaths vary from 10,000 to 30,000 or more... on February 28, 1947 | |
| April 4 | The Combined Holidays of Women's Day & Children's Day | ||
| April 4, 5 or 6 | Tomb Sweeping Day | 15 days after the spring equinox | |
| October 10 | National Celebration Day (Double Tenth Day) | Wuchang Uprising Wuchang Uprising The Wuchang Uprising began with the dissatisfaction of the handling of a railway crisis. The crisis then escalated to an uprising where the revolutionaries went up against Qing government officials. The uprising was then assisted by the New Army in a coup against their own authorities in the city... on October 10, 1911 |
| 1st day of 1st lunar month | Chinese New Year Chinese New Year Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration... | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 5th day of 5th lunar month | Dragon Boat Festival Dragon Boat Festival Duanwu Festival, also known as Dragon Boat Festival and the Double Fifth, is a traditional and statutory holiday originating in China and associated with a number of East Asian and Southeast Asian societies... (Duan Wu Festival) | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 15th day of 8th lunar month | Mid-Autumn Festival Mid-Autumn Festival The Mid-Autumn Festival , also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival or Zhongqiu Festival, is a popular lunar harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people. A description of the festival first appeared in Rites of Zhou, a written collection of rituals of the Western Zhou... (Moon Festival) | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| the last day of 12th lunar month | Chinese New Year's Eve | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... |
The following holidays are also observed on Taiwan, but are not official holidays observed by civil servants of the central government. Some sectors of the workforce may have time off on some of the following holidays such as Labor Day, Armed Forces Day, and Teachers' Day.
| Date | English Name | Local Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 3, 4 or 5 | Farmer's Day | Lichun Lichun The traditional East Asian calendars divide a year into 24 solar terms . Lìchūn or Risshun is the 1st solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 315° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 330°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly... , the beginning of spring | |
| March 12 | Arbor Day Arbor Day Arbor Day is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees. It originated in Nebraska City, Nebraska, United States during 1872 by J. Sterling Morton. The first Arbor Day was held on April 10, 1872, and an estimated 1 million trees were planted that day.Many... | Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China... 's passing on March 12, 1925 | |
| March 29 | Youth Day Youth Day Youth Day is a holiday dedicated to the youths of a country.-International Youth Day:International Youth Day is an international observance on August 12 officially recognized by the United Nations.-Angola:On 14 April Angola celebrates Youth Day... | Commemorates revolutionary Tenth Uprising in 1911 | |
| May 1 | Labor Day | ||
| May 4 | Literary Day | Commemorates May Fourth Movement May Fourth Movement The May Fourth Movement was an anti-imperialist, cultural, and political movement growing out of student demonstrations in Beijing on May 4, 1919, protesting the Chinese government's weak response to the Treaty of Versailles, especially the Shandong Problem... | |
| May (second Sunday) | Mother's Day Mother's Day Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May... | ||
| June 3 | Opium Suppression Movement Day | Commemorates burning of opium Opium Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine... in the First Opium War First Opium War The First Anglo-Chinese War , known popularly as the First Opium War or simply the Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty of China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice... of 1839 | |
| August 8 | Father's Day Father's Day Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June but it is also celebrated widely on other days... | ||
| July & August | Chinese Carnival Carnival Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party... | Premiered of the Summer Festival Mardi Gras The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday... | |
| September 1 | Journalist' Day | Commemorates the promulgation of the Protection of Journalists and Public Opinion Organizations law in 1933 | |
| September 3 | Armed Forces Day Armed Forces Day Several nations of the world hold an annual Armed Forces Day in honor of their military forces. - Armenia :Բանակի օր is celebrated on 28 January to commemorate the formation of the armed forces of the newly independent Republic of Armenia in 1992.... | Honors the armed forces of the ROC | |
| September 28 | Teachers' Day Teachers' Day In many countries, Teachers' Days are intended to be special days for the appreciation of teachers; World Teachers' Day is celebrated across the world on October 5. Ever since the importance of teachers has been recognized by UNESCO, by adopting the “Recommendation concerning the status of... | Confucius Confucius Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period.... ' Birthday | |
| October 21 | Overseas Chinese Overseas Chinese Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese.... Day | ||
| October 25 | Taiwan Retrocession Day Retrocession Day Retrocession Day is an annual observance in the Republic of China to commemorate the end of 50 years of Japanese colonial rule of Taiwan on October 25, 1945.-Background:... | Japan relinquishes control of and returns Taiwan to the Republic of China October 25, 1945 | |
| November 12 | Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China... 's Birthday | Also Doctors' Day and Cultural Renaissance Day | |
| Winter solstice Winter solstice Winter solstice may refer to:* Winter solstice, astronomical event* Winter Solstice , former band* Winter Solstice: North , seasonal songs* Winter Solstice , 2005 American film... | Dōngzhì Festival | ||
| December 25 | Constitution Day Constitution Day Constitution Day is a holiday to honor the constitution of a country. Constitution Day is often celebrated on the anniversary of the signing, promulgation or adoption of the constitution, or in some cases, to commemorate the change to constitutional monarchy:... | Coincides with Christmas Christmas Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days... , and anniversary of the 1947 ROC Constitution |
| 15th day of 1st lunar month | Lantern Festival Lantern Festival The Lantern Festival ; is a festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar year in the Chinese calendar, the last day... | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 15th day of 1st lunar month | Tourism Day | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 2nd day of 2nd lunar month | Earth God Tu Di Gong Tu Di Gong , also known as Tu Di , Tu Gong , and Dabo Gong , is a Chinese earth god worshipped by Chinese folk religion worshippers and Taoists. A formal name for Tu Di Gong is , meaning the earth god of wealth and merit.... 's Birthday | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 19th day of 2nd lunar month | Kuan Yin Kuan Yin Guanyin is the bodhisattva associated with compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists, usually as a female. The name Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin which means "Observing the Sounds of the World". She is also sometimes referred to as Guanyin Pusa... 's Birthday | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 15th day of 3rd lunar month | God of Medicine's Birthday | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 23rd day of 3rd lunar month | Matsu Matsu (goddess) Mazu , also spelt Matsu, is the indigenous goddess of the sea who is said to protect fishermen and sailors, and is invoked as the patron deity of all Southern Chinese and East Asian persons... 's Birthday | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 8th day of 4th lunar month | Buddha's Birthday Buddha's Birthday Buddha's Birthday, the birthday of the Prince Siddhartha Gautama, is a holiday traditionally celebrated in Mahayana Buddhism.- East Asia except Japan :... | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 13th day of 5th lunar month | Kuan Kung's Birthday | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 13th day of 5th lunar month | Cheng Huang's Birthday | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 7th day of 7th lunar month | Chi Hsi Festival | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 15th day of 7th lunar month | Ghost Festival Ghost Festival The Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, is a traditional Chinese festival and holiday celebrated by Chinese in many countries... | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 9th day of 9th lunar month | Double Ninth Festival Double Ninth Festival The Double Ninth Festival , observed on the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese calendar, is a traditional Chinese holiday, mentioned in writing since before the East Han period .... | Based on Chinese calendar Chinese calendar The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well... | |
| 15th day of 10th lunar month | Saisiat Festival | Pas-taai Festival of the Saisiat tribe |