Hey there! I’m your Holiday Little Assistant, back with another helpful breakdown for all you holiday planners out there. Today we’re tackling a question I get asked a lot: Just how many public holidays did China have in 2018? Let’s dive into the details so you can finally put this question to rest!

China’s Official 2018 Holiday Lineup

In 2018, China observed 7 major public holidays totaling 26 official days off (including weekend make-up work days, because yeah, those count too!). Here’s the full rundown:

1. Día de Año Nuevo (Jan 1) – 1 day
2. Spring Festival (Chinese New Year, Feb 15-21) – 7 days
3. Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day, Apr 5-7) – 3 days
4. Día laboral (Apr 29-May 1) – 3 days
5. Dragon Boat Festival (Jun 16-18) – 3 days
6. Mid-Autumn Festival (Sep 22-24) – 3 days
7. National Day (Golden Week, Oct 1-7) – 7 days

Pro tip: Notice how most holidays cluster around 3-7 day blocks? That’s because China loves its “holiday rearrangement” system where weekends get swapped to create longer vacation periods. Sneaky but effective!

Wait, Why Do Other Sources Say Different Numbers?

Great question! Some folks count differently because:

– Weekend make-up days (调休 tiáoxiū) technically mean you’re “borrowing” days off. For example, if a holiday falls on Tuesday, you might work the preceding Saturday to get Monday-Tuesday off. Total holiday? Still just 1 official day.
– Traditional vs. public holidays – Events like Lantern Festival or Double Ninth Festival are culturally significant but don’t grant time off.
– Regional variations – Ethnic minority areas like Tibet or Xinjiang have extra local holidays.

Fun fact: 2018 was actually better than some years because Mid-Autumn Festival didn’t overlap with National Day (unlike 2017’s brutal 8-day combo!).

How Did 2018 Compare to Other Years?

Pretty standard! China’s been sticking to roughly this same holiday structure since 2008. For reference:

– Total days off: Always 26-30 days (including rearranged weekends)
– Big winners: Spring Festival and National Week always get 7 days
– Short but sweet Single-day holidays like New Year’s Day still pack fun celebrations

PS: If you’re thinking “Wow, that’s fewer than France’s 36 days or Japan’s 20+,” remember Chinese workers get 5-15 days of paid annual leave too (depending on job tenure).

Sneaky Holiday Hacks Chinese People Use

Want the insider scoop? Here’s how locals maximize 2018’s calendar:

✔️ Bridge vacations – Taking 2-3 annual leave days between holidays to create mega-breaks (e.g., adding Apr 2-4 before Qingming for a 9-day stretch)
✔️ Avoiding travel peaks – Smart travelers leave 1-2 days before/after official holidays to dodge crowds
✔️ Exploring local – With domestic tourism insane during holidays, many urbanites opt for staycations

Did you know? 2018’s National Week saw 726 million domestic trips – that’s over half of China on the move!

So there you have it, friends! In 2018, China officially had 7 public holidays spanning 26 days off, with clever planning making them feel even longer. Whether you’re reminiscing or researching, I hope this clears things up.

Got more holiday questions? Hit me up anytime! Your Holiday Little Assistant is always here to help. 下次见!