March 2006

China Internet Information Center

March 2006


Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat

			1	2	3	4

5	6 Waking of Insects	7	8	9	10	11

12	13	14 15th/2nd mo.	15	16	17	18

19	20	21 Vernal Equinox	22	23	24	25

29
1st/3rd mo.

Holidays and Observances:

3: National Ear Care Day, initiated in 2000 and observed annually in order for increasing ear care awareness and preventing deafness in China.

7: Blade Shaft Festival, a ceremony held on the 8th day of the 2nd lunar month by southwest China's Lisu ethnic group in honor of their hero, Wang Ji. Each clan gathers together to watch their young men display breathtaking courage and skill in such events as climbing blade ladders and running through fire.

8: International Women's Day (1/2 day off for women).

12: Tree Planting Day.

15: Consumer Day

21: World Forest Day; International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

22: World Water Day

23: World Meteorological Day

24: World Tuberculosis Day

Nawuruz, a festival of the Kazak people in northwest China's Xinjiang region to greet spring, usually held shortly before or after the vernal equinox. Families gather together to enjoy a holiday meal of traditional foods.

Mountain Climbing Festival, a chance for young Miao people in Guizhou Province to meet and greet each other. Young men and women climb mountains, sing and dance to get acquainted.

Notes:

1. In the traditional calendar, the new moon indicates the first day of a lunar month; the full moon marks the 15th day.

2. Dates in red are official holidays. To give workers three week-long holidays during the year, the Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding or following the extended holiday are official workdays. In 2006, there are an official work weekend in April, and two divided between late January and early February and between late September and early October.

3. The 24 Seasonal Division Points:

	Order & Name of Seasonal Division Point	Sun's Position at Ecliptic	Gregorian Calendar Date
Spring	1.Beginning of Spring 2.Rain Water 3.Waking of Insects 4.Vernal Equinox 5.Pure Brightness 6.Grain Rain	315° 330° 345° 0° 15° 30°	4 or 5 February 19 or 20 February 5 or 6 March 20 or 21 March 5 or 6 April 20 or 21 April
Summer	7.Beginning of Summer 8.Grain Budding 9.Grain in Ear 10.Summer Solstice 11.Slight Heat 12.Great Heat	45° 60° 75° 90° 105° 120°	5 or 6 May 21 or 22 May 6 or 7 June 21 or 22 June 7 or 8 July 23 or 24 July
Autumn	13.Beginning of Autumn 14.Limit of Heat 15.White Dew 16.Autumnal Equinox 17.Cold Dew 18.Frost's Descent	135° 150° 165° 180° 195° 210°	7 or 8 August 23 or 24 August 7 or 8 September 23 or 24 September 8 or 9 October 23 or 24 October
Winter	19.Beginning of Winter 20.Slight Snow 21.Great Snow 22.Winter Solstice 23.Slight Cold 24.Great Cold	225° 240° 255° 270° 285° 300°	7 or 8 November 23 or 22 November 7 or 8 December 22 or 23 December 5 or 6 January 20 or 21 January

Traditional Chinese Festivals