China Internet Information Center
  December 2012  

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

 

 

1

2 

 

3 4 5

6

Great Snow

7 8

 

10 11 12

13

1st/11th mo.

14 15

16 

 

17 18 19 20

21

Winter Solstice

22

23 

 

24 25 26

27

15th/11th mo.

28 29
30

31

 

         

Holidays and Observances:

1: World AIDS Day. The United Nations, in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO), has declared Dec. 1 World AIDS Day.

3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992, aims to increase awareness and understanding of disability issues and trends, and to mobilize support for practical action at all levels, by, with and for persons with disabilities.

5: International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development.

10: Human Rights Day. All member states and interested organizations were invited by the UN General Assembly in 1950 to observe December 10 as Human Rights Day. The Day marks the anniversary of the Assembly's adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

12: Commemoration Day of Xi'an Incident.

13: Commemoration Day of Nanjing Massacre.

18: International Migrant's Day. In 1997, Filipino and Asian migrant organizations began celebrating the 18th of December as the International Day of Solidarity with Migrants because it was on Dec. 18, 1990 that the United Nations adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrants Workers and Members of Their Families (the convention came into force on Jul. 1, 2003 binding to all governments that have ratified it). In 2000 the UN General Assembly designated the date of each year as International Migrant's Day.

20: Anniversary of Macao Special Administrative Region

21: Winter Solstice, the earliest of the 24 seasonal division points falling on Dec. 21 or 22 on the Gregorian calendar. In ancient China, it was believed that as the days grow longer, young, positive things become stronger and stronger. Chinese families usually celebrate it by eating dumplings or eating a dish made of red beans and glutinous rice to drive away ghosts and evil spirits.

25: Christmas Day.

26: Birthday of Mao Zedong (1893-1976).

 
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 2012, there are six official working Saturdays and Sundays respectively on January 21 (Saturday), January 29 (Sunday), March 31 (Saturday), April 1 (Sunday), April 28 (Saturday) and September 29 (Saturday).

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°

15°
30°
4 or 5 February
18 or 19 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
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