Nation People's Congress (NPC) deputies from Beijing, Jiangsu and Hong Kong want the government to add some of the country's traditional festivals to the number of annual statutory holidays.

Reporting the proposal, the Beijing Star Daily said that the Spring Festival was the only traditional Chinese festival that was now gazetted as a holiday. Other festivals, such as Grave Sweeping Festival (April 5), Dragon Boat Festival (15th on the fifth lunar month) and Mid-Autumn Festival (15th on the eighth lunar month) were not included despite still being honored in the minds of the general public.

Ji Baocheng, a deputy from Beijing, said China each year had proclaimed only 10 days as public holidays so there was great room for the addition of some more. He suggested that Lunar New Year's Eve, Grave Sweeping, Dragon Boat and Mid-Autumn festivals should also become statutory holidays when people can take the day off to celebrate and have a rest.

Zhou Yaoting, a deputy from Jiangsu Province said that Qixi (Chinese Lover's Day, 7th of the seventh lunar month) should also be added to the list. "Due to the lack of attention given to these holidays, some traditional festivals have fallen into decline," he said.

"And many young people in China and local businesses have started introducing Western festivals into China, like Christmas Day and St. Valentine's Day, which are getting much more attention from youth nowadays."

(Xinhua News Agency March 18, 2004)