Chinese Culture Traditional Chinese Holidays for 2026
The traditional Chinese holidays, having been celebrated for hundreds if not thousand of years, are still celebrated according to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. Most of them are celebrated on the same day in the lunar calendar, which, of course, ends up on a different date every year in the Gregorian calendar. At least two of the holidays, Qingming and Winter Solstice, are actually based on the position of the sun so tend to vary just by a day or two in the Gregorian calendar.
By far, the most important traditional holiday is the Chinese New Year, which is celebrated between New Year's Eve and and the fifteenth of the month, when the Lantern Festival takes place. In modern China, many busineses close for an extended period of time so that employees can return to their hometown to spend time with their families. Another popular holiday is the Mid-Autumn Festival, which takes place in August 15 of the lunar calendar. It is at this time that moon cakes, a sweet pastry containing one solid egg yolk inside (representing the moon), is consumed.
The list of the most commonly celebrated traditional holidays and the dates in which they fall for the current year are listed below. You can also specify a different year by using the form below.
| English Name | Chinese Name | Gregorian | Lunar | Activities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laba Festival | 腊八节 | Jan 26, 2026 | 2025年 腊月 初八 | Eat laba rice porridge |
| Chinese New Year's Eve | 除夕 | Feb 16, 2026 | 2025年 腊月 廿九 | Red envelopes, family feast |
| Chinese New Year | 春节 | Feb 17, 2026 | 2026年 正月 初一 | Light fireworks, visit family |
| Lantern Festival | 元宵节 | Mar 3, 2026 | 2026年 正月 十五 | Paper lanterns, eat tangyuan |
| Qingming Festival | 清明节 | Apr 5, 2026 | 2026年 二月 十八 | Tomb sweeping, spring outings |
| Dragon Boat Festival | 端午节 | Jun 19, 2026 | 2026年 五月 初五 | Dragon boat races, eat zongzi |
| Double Seventh Festival | 七夕 | Aug 19, 2026 | 2026年 七月 初七 | Chinese Valentine |
| Hungry Ghost Festival | 中元节 | Aug 27, 2026 | 2026年 七月 十五 | Burn paper money |
| Mid Autumn Festival | 中秋节 | Sep 25, 2026 | 2026年 八月 十五 | Appreciate the moon, eat moon cakes |
| Double Ninth Festival | 重阳节 | Oct 18, 2026 | 2026年 九月 初九 | Eat chongyang cake |
| Winter Solstice | 冬至 | Dec 22, 2026 | 2026年 冬月 十四 | Eat tangyuan |

