Which Chinese Holidays Are Included?
The Lunar Calendar Converter includes 8 major traditional Chinese festivals. All are based on the lunar calendar, meaning their Gregorian dates shift each year. Enable the "Include Chinese Holidays" toggle and the converter will add all of them to your downloadable calendar file.
🧧 Spring Festival · 春節 (Chūn Jié)
Lunar date: 1st day of the 1st lunar month
Chinese New Year — the most important festival in Chinese culture. Celebrations last 15 days and include family reunions, red envelopes (紅包), fireworks, and traditional foods. The date falls between 21 January and 20 February each Gregorian year.
🏮 Lantern Festival · 元宵節 (Yuán Xiāo Jié)
Lunar date: 15th day of the 1st lunar month
Marks the end of the Spring Festival period. Celebrated with lantern displays, lantern riddles, and eating tangyuan (湯圓) — sweet glutinous rice balls symbolising family unity. It falls on the first full moon of the lunar new year.
🐉 Dragon Boat Festival · 端午節 (Duān Wǔ Jié)
Lunar date: 5th day of the 5th lunar month
Commemorates the poet Qu Yuan (屈原). Traditions include dragon boat racing, eating zongzi (粽子, sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves), and hanging mugwort and calamus to ward off illness. Recognised as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
🌟 Qixi Festival · 七夕節 (Qī Xī Jié)
Lunar date: 7th day of the 7th lunar month
Often called "Chinese Valentine's Day". Based on the legend of the cowherd (牛郎) and the weaver girl (織女) — two stars separated by the Milky Way who are reunited once a year. Traditionally a day for women to pray for skills in needlework and for finding a good husband.
👻 Ghost Festival · 中元節 (Zhōng Yuán Jié)
Lunar date: 15th day of the 7th lunar month
During the Hungry Ghost Festival, the gates of the afterlife are believed to open and spirits roam the earth. Families burn paper offerings, prepare food offerings, and hold ceremonies to honour ancestors. It is a time of remembrance and reverence for those who have passed.
🥮 Mid-Autumn Festival · 中秋節 (Zhōng Qiū Jié)
Lunar date: 15th day of the 8th lunar month
Celebrated on the night of the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. Families gather to admire the full moon, eat mooncakes (月餅), and carry lanterns. One of the most beloved festivals in Chinese culture, second only to the Spring Festival.
🍵 Double Ninth Festival · 重陽節 (Chóng Yáng Jié)
Lunar date: 9th day of the 9th lunar month
The number nine (九) sounds like "long-lasting" in Chinese and is associated with longevity. Traditions include climbing mountains, drinking chrysanthemum wine, and paying respects to elders. In modern China it is also observed as Seniors' Day.
☀️ Winter Solstice · 冬至 (Dōng Zhì)
Solar date: around 21–22 December each year
Unlike the other festivals, Winter Solstice is determined by the solar calendar rather than the lunar one, falling on the astronomical solstice. It is traditionally a time for family gatherings and eating tangyuan or dumplings (餃子), depending on the region. In many families it is considered as important as the Spring Festival.