China public holidays in 2026 follow the State Council arrangement announced on November 4, 2025. The grouped days off are New Year’s Day, Spring Festival, Qingming, Labor Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and National Day Golden Week. Several Saturdays and Sundays become makeup workdays so the breaks can run together.
Checking the next holiday on the China calendar…
2026 public holiday dates
| Holiday | Days off | Length | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | 2026-01-01 to 2026-01-03 | 3 days | Thursday to Saturday. Sunday, January 4 is a makeup workday. |
| Spring Festival | 2026-02-15 to 2026-02-23 | 9 days | Lunar New Year’s Eve through the seventh day of the lunar year. Saturday, February 14 and Saturday, February 28 are makeup workdays. |
| Qingming Festival | 2026-04-04 to 2026-04-06 | 3 days | Saturday to Monday. No extra makeup workday was announced for this holiday. |
| Labor Day | 2026-05-01 to 2026-05-05 | 5 days | Friday to Tuesday. Saturday, May 9 is a makeup workday. |
| Dragon Boat Festival | 2026-06-19 to 2026-06-21 | 3 days | Friday to Sunday. No extra makeup workday was announced for this holiday. |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | 2026-09-25 to 2026-09-27 | 3 days | Friday to Sunday. The moon festival itself falls in this long weekend. |
| National Day (Golden Week) | 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07 | 7 days | Thursday to Wednesday. Sunday, September 20 and Saturday, October 10 are makeup workdays. |
Makeup workdays
- 2026-01-04. Makeup workday for New Year’s Day (Sunday)
- 2026-02-14. Makeup workday for Spring Festival (Saturday)
- 2026-02-28. Makeup workday for Spring Festival (Saturday)
- 2026-05-09. Makeup workday for Labor Day (Saturday)
- 2026-09-20. Makeup workday for National Day (Sunday)
- 2026-10-10. Makeup workday for National Day (Saturday)
Government offices, banks, and many schools close on the grouped holidays and open on makeup workdays. Shops and restaurants in tourist areas usually stay open and get crowded, especially during Spring Festival and Golden Week. High-speed trains and popular museums sell out before the break. The three workdays between Mid-Autumn and Golden Week, September 28–30, are ordinary working days squeezed between two holidays.
How to use the dates
If you are booking hotels or rail tickets, treat October 1–7 as the crowded National Day peak and September 25–27 as the Mid-Autumn weekend. February 15–23 is the long Spring Festival travel period. A makeup workday such as October 10 is a better day to handle bank or visa paperwork than to expect a quiet tourist site the week before.
Dates below are the official days off, not a promise that every attraction is closed. Last reviewed September 22, 2026. Sources: the State Council notice (Chinese) and an English summary of the same arrangement.
Questions people ask
When is China Golden Week in 2026?
National Day Golden Week in 2026 runs from Thursday, October 1 through Wednesday, October 7, seven days in total. Sunday, September 20 and Saturday, October 10 are makeup workdays.
When is the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2026?
The Mid-Autumn holiday is Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27, 2026. Offices and many banks close for those three days.
What is a makeup workday in China?
A makeup workday is a Saturday or Sunday when offices open so that a public holiday can be grouped into a longer break. Trains and tourist sites are often quieter on the makeup day and packed during the holiday itself.
How long is Spring Festival 2026?
The 2026 Spring Festival holiday is nine days, from Sunday, February 15 to Monday, February 23. February 14 and February 28 are both working Saturdays.