China Internet Information Center
  August 2012  

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

 

 

1

2

15th/6th mo.

3 4

 

6

7

Beginning of Autumn

8 9 10 11

12

 

13 14 15 16

17

1st/7th mo.

18

19 

 

20 21 22

23

Limit of Heat

24 25

26

 

27 28 29 30

31

15th/7th mo.

Holidays and Observances:

1: Army Day (85th 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: Beijing 2008 Olympic Games opened this day.

11: 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 in Guizhou Province celebrate it around the 3rd. Activities include music and dance, bullfights and a torch parade.

12: 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).

17: 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.

17-23: Shoton Festival, also the Tibetan Theater Festival, a seven-day religious celebration starting on the 30th day of the 6th month on the Tibetan calendar. "Shoton" is Tibetan for "yogurt banquet." Traditionally, on the 30th day the laity make offerings of yogurt to the monks. During the festival, theater troupes gather in Norbulingka (the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas) to give performances and hold competitions.

23: 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.

23: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition, celebrated on August 23 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.

Langshan Festival, a 12-day-long celebration held in southern Gansu's Tibetan community in the latter half of the sixth lunar month. Activities include horse racing, wrestling, music and dance, and making of religious offerings.

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 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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