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Upcoming Chinese Festivals
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year (Chinese: 春节, 春節), also known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, is the most important
of the traditional Chinese holidays. It consists of a period of celebrations, starting on New Year's Day,
celebrated on the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar. The Chinese New Year period ends
with the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the month.
The Chinese New Year Day falls on the following dates in the Gregorian calendar:
| Year 2010 | Sunday | February 14, 2010 | Chinese New Year Day |
| Year 2011 | Thursday | February 3, 2011 | Chinese New Year Day |
| Year 2012 | Monday | January 23, 2012 | Chinese New Year Day |
| Year 2013 | Sunday | February 10, 2013 | Chinese New Year Day |
| Year 2014 | Friday | January 31, 2014 | Chinese New Year Day |
| Year 2015 | Thursday | February 19, 2015 | Chinese New Year Day |
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Chinese Lantern Festival
The 15th day of the 1st lunar month is the Chinese Lantern Festival (Chinese: 元宵节, 元宵節) because the first lunar month is called yuan-month and in
the ancient times people called night Xiao. The 15th day is the first night to see a full moon. So the day is also called
Yuan Xiao Festival in China.According to the Chinese tradition, at the very beginning of a new year, when there is a bright
full moon hanging in the sky, there should be thousands of colorful lanterns hung out for people to appreciate. At this time,
people will try to solve the puzzles on the lanterns and eat yuanxiao (glutinous rice ball) and get all their families united
in the joyful atmosphere.
The Chinese Lantern Festival falls on the following dates in the Gregorian calendar:
| Year 2010 | Sunday | February 28, 2010 | Chinese Lantern Festival |
| Year 2011 | Thursday | February 17, 2011 | Chinese Lantern Festival |
| Year 2012 | Monday | February 6, 2012 | Chinese Lantern Festival |
| Year 2013 | Sunday | February 24, 2013 | Chinese Lantern Festival |
| Year 2014 | Friday | February 14, 2014 | Chinese Lantern Festival |
| Year 2015 | Thursday | March 5, 2015 | Chinese Lantern Festival |
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Chinese Qingming Festival
The 1st day of the 5th solar term is the Qingming (Chinese: 清明节, 清明節) for people to go outside
and enjoy the greenery of springtime and to tend to the graves of departed ones.
Qingming Festival is the 15th day after the Spring Equinox occurring around
April 5 of the Gregorian calendar.
The Qingming Festival is commonly translated as the Clear Bright Festival or the Tomb Sweeping Day.
The Chinese Qingming Festival falls on the following dates in the Gregorian calendar:
| Year 2010 | Monday | April 5, 2010 | Chinese Qingming Festival |
| Year 2011 | Tuesday | April 5, 2011 | Chinese Qingming Festival |
| Year 2012 | Wednesday | April 4, 2012 | Chinese Qingming Festival |
| Year 2013 | Tuesday | April 4, 2013 | Chinese Qingming Festival |
| Year 2014 | Saturday | April 5, 2014 | Chinese Qingming Festival |
| Year 2015 | Sunday | April 5, 2015 | Chinese Qingming Festival |
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Chinese Dragon Boat Festival
Dragon Boat Festival (Chinese: 端午节, 端午節) is celebrated on the fifth day of fifth moon. The proper name for this festival is
the Upright Sun Festival , but foreigners in China referred to it as the Dragon-Boat Festival.
The Fifth Moon Festival was also noted for its dragon-boat races, especially in the southern provinces, where there are many
rivers and lakes. This regatta commemorated the death of Qu Yuan an honest minister who is said to have committed suicide by
drowning himself in a river.
The Chinese Dragon Boat Festival falls on the following dates in the Gregorian calendar:
| Year 2010 | Wednesday | June 16, 2010 | Chinese Dragon Boat Festival |
| Year 2011 | Monday | June 6, 2011 | Chinese Dragon Boat Festival |
| Year 2012 | Saturday | June 23, 2012 | Chinese Dragon Boat Festival |
| Year 2013 | Wednesday | June 12, 2013 | Chinese Dragon Boat Festival |
| Year 2014 | Monday | June 2, 2014 | Chinese Dragon Boat Festival |
| Year 2015 | Saturday | June 20, 2015 | Chinese Dragon Boat Festival |
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The Chinese Valentine's Day
The Chinese Valentine's Day (Chinese: 织女节, 織女節) is on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar.
Raise your head in evening on this day and gaze at the stars, you will find something romantic
going on in the sky.
That is, on this evening, Niu Lang and Zhi Nu will meet on a bridge of magpies across the Milky Way.
Chinese grannies will remind children that they would not be able to see any magpies on that evening
because all the magpies have left to form a bridge in the heavens with their wings.
The Chinese Valentine's Day falls on the following dates in the Western calendar - mark on your calendar:
| Year 2010 | Monday | August 16, 2010 | Chinese Valentine's Day |
| Year 2011 | Saturday | August 6, 2011 | Chinese Valentine's Day |
| Year 2012 | Thursday | August 23, 2012 | Chinese Valentine's Day |
| Year 2013 | Tuesday | August 13, 2013 | Chinese Valentine's Day |
| Year 2014 | Saturday | August 2, 2014 | Chinese Valentine's Day |
| Year 2015 | Thursday | August 20, 2015 | Chinese Valentine's Day |
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Mid Autumn Festival
The Mid Autumn Festival (Chinese: 中秋节, 中秋節) is also called Mooncake Festival. It falls
on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. It is an occasion for family members
to get together over mooncakes, fruits and fine tea and have "moon appreciation" sessions.
With its association with mooncakes and lanterns, Zhong Qiu Jie is also called Mooncake Festival or
Lantern Festival other then Mid-Autumn Festival.
The Mid Autumn Festival falls on the following dates in the Gregorian calendar:
| Year 2010 | Wednesday | September 22, 2010 | Chinese New Year Day |
| Year 2011 | Monday | September 12, 2011 | Chinese New Year Day |
| Year 2012 | Sunday | September 31, 2012 | Chinese New Year Day |
| Year 2013 | Thursday | September 19, 2013 | Chinese New Year Day |
| Year 2014 | Monday | September 8, 2014 | Chinese New Year Day |
| Year 2015 | Sunday | September 27, 2015 | Chinese New Year Day |
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