- China has seven official public holidays in 2026, including two major "Golden Week" breaks for Spring Festival and National Day.
- Many holidays, such as Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival, follow the Chinese lunar calendar, so their dates shift each year.
- Beyond public holidays, China observes a number of cultural and modern holidays, including Women's Day, Youth Day, Teachers' Day, and Singles' Day.
- CLI's school holiday schedule aligns with national holidays but may differ in exact dates. Classes and lunch are not held on CLI school holidays.
- Students enrolled in CLI's Meal Plan receive an automatic tuition adjustment for any weekday lunches not served due to school holidays.
The following tables provide the official schedules for Chinese holidays in 2026. Holidays are categorized as Chinese Public Holidays, Other Chinese Holidays and Observances, and CLI School Holidays.
Many holidays, such as Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival, are based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar and therefore fall on different dates each year.
01 Chinese Public Holidays in 2026
China observes seven official public holidays each year. In 2026, the Spring Festival break is nine days long (the longest in recent history) and the National Day "Golden Week" provides a full seven-day break in early October.
| Date | Holiday | Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| January 1st – 3rd | New Year's Day | 元旦 |
| February 15th – 23rd | Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) | 春节 |
| April 4th – 6th | Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day) | 清明节 |
| May 1st – 5th | Labor Day | 劳动节 |
| June 19th – 21st | Dragon Boat Festival | 端午节 |
| September 25th – 27th | Mid-Autumn Festival | 中秋节 |
| October 1st – 7th | National Day (Golden Week) | 国庆节 |
To create longer holiday breaks, the Chinese government designates certain weekends as working days. In 2026, the following Saturdays and Sundays are official make-up working days: January 4th (Sunday), February 14th (Saturday), February 28th (Saturday), September 20th (Sunday), and October 10th (Saturday).
02 Other Chinese Holidays and Observances in 2026
In addition to the seven official public holidays, China recognizes a number of cultural, modern, and seasonal observances. Some carry half-day holidays for specific groups. For example, women on International Women's Day, youth aged 14–28 on Youth Day, and active military personnel on Army Day, while others are celebrated without any time off.
| Date | Holiday | Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| March 3rd | Lantern Festival | 元宵节 |
| March 8th | International Women's Day | 妇女节 |
| March 12th | Arbor Day | 植树节 |
| March 20th | Spring Equinox | 春分 |
| May 4th | Youth Day | 青年节 |
| June 1st | Children's Day | 儿童节 |
| June 21st | Summer Solstice | 夏至 |
| July 1st | CPC Founding Day | 建党节 |
| August 1st | Army Day | 建军节 |
| August 19th | Chinese Valentine's Day (Qixi) | 七夕 |
| August 27th | Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan) | 中元节 |
| September 10th | Teachers' Day | 教师节 |
| September 23rd | Autumn Equinox | 秋分 |
| October 21st | Double Ninth Festival (Chongyang) | 重阳节 |
| November 11th | Singles' Day | 双十一 |
| December 22nd | Winter Solstice | 冬至 |
03 CLI School Holidays in 2026
CLI observes Chinese holidays in accordance with national regulations. The table below lists the specific dates on which CLI will be closed in 2026. No classes or lunches are held on these days.
| Date | Holiday | Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| January 1st | New Year's Day | 元旦 |
| February 16th – 27th | Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) | 春节 |
| April 6th | Qingming Festival | 清明节 |
| May 1st – 4th | Labor Day | 劳动节 |
| June 19th | Dragon Boat Festival | 端午节 |
| September 25th | Mid-Autumn Festival | 中秋节 |
| October 1st – 5th | National Day | 国庆节 |
Please note that CLI's academic calendar may differ from China's official public holiday schedule. Always consult CLI's Admissions Manager or your teachers for the most up-to-date calendar.
Students whose programs overlap with CLI school holidays have several options for making up missed class days at no additional cost. You may extend your program by one class day for each day missed, attend the equivalent hours via CLI's online one-on-one lessons, or add extra hours to your remaining in-person class days. Simply coordinate your preferred option with CLI's Admissions Manager or your teachers.
If you are enrolled in CLI's Meal Plan, your tuition is automatically adjusted by $4 USD for each weekday lunch not served due to a school holiday. This adjustment reflects the actual number of meal days during your program, so no separate refund request is needed.
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