China Internet Information Center
May 2006
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
  1 2 3 4 5
Beginning of Summer		 6
7 8 9 10 11 12
15th/4th mo.		 13
14 15 16 17
 18 19 20
21
Grain Budding		 22 23 24 25 26 27
1st/5th mo.
28 29 30 31    

Holidays and Observances:
1: International Labor Day (3 days off).
4: Chinese Youth Day.
5: Yanu's Day. On the 8th day of the 4th lunar month, the Miao people of south and central China commemorate their hero, Yanu. Major activities include dancing to drum and lusheng (a type of mouth organ), climbing blade ladders and eating glutinous rice.
8: World Red Cross Day.
12: International Nurses Day.
14: Mother's Day.
15: International Day for Families.
17: World Telecommunication Day.
18: International Museum Day.
20: National Nutrition Day for Students.
21: National Day of Disabled Persons.
Sheep and Horse Festival, celebrated by Miao people with grand gatherings on the days of sheep or horse around the 26th of the 4th lunar month. Legend has it that during a war at the end of Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), the Miao people used sheep and horses to mislead the enemy and finally won victory. The festival is held to show their reverence for these animals.
31: Dragon Boat Festival (5th of the fifth lunar month). Celebrated in memory of poet and minister of the State of Chu Qu Yuan (340–278 BC). Celebrated by eating zongzi, pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in reed or bamboo leaves, and holding dragon boat races.
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
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