China Calendar for Year 2009

China Internet Information Center

August 2009

Holidays and Observances:

1: Army Day (81st anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People' s Liberation Army, 1/2 day off for those on active duty).

3: China.org.cn is officially launched in both English and Chinese languages in 2000.

8: The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games opened this day.

14: Torch Festival, days-long main holiday of the Yi ethnic minority. Usually held after the 24th day of the 6th lunar month, although groups living Guizhou Province celebrate it around the 3rd. Activities include music and dance, bullfights and a torch parade.

18: International Youth Day. The United Nations General Assembly on December 17, 1999 in its resolution 54/120, endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, August 8-12, 1998) that August 12 be declared International Youth Day. The Assembly recommended that public information activities be organized to support the Day as a way to promote better awareness of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, adopted by the General Assembly in 1995 (resolution 50/81).

20: New Year Festival of Tujia ethnic minority. On the 1st day of the 7th lunar month, families prepare delicious food and invite their relatives and friends for a gathering.

23: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, celebrated on 23 August of every year. The night of August 22 to 23, 1791, in Santo Domingo (today Haiti and the Dominican Republic) saw the beginning of the uprising that would play a crucial role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.

26: Double Seventh Festival, a traditional festival of romance on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month. Legend has it that the star-crossed Cowherd and the Weaving Girl meet on that evening every year in Heaven.

Nadam Fair, held during the 7th lunar month, is the grandest festival of the Mongolians. Activities include wrestling, horseracing and archery competitions, as well as trading of goods.

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 longer holidays during the year, the Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding or following the extended holiday are official workdays. In 2009, there are six official work weekends respectively on January 4, January 24, February 1, May 31, September 27 and October 10.

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 4 or 5 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 5 or 6 June 21 or 22 June 7 or 8 July 22 or 23 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 22 or 23 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 22 or 23 November 7 or 8 December 21 or 22 December 5 or 6 January 20 or 21 January