Hong Kong Orientation Guide

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Public Holiday
NewYear 1 day/January
ChineseNewYear(Spring Festival) 3 days/February
Good Friday 1 day/April
The day following Good Friday 1 day/April
Easter Monday 1 day/April
Ching Ming (Tomb sweeping) Festival 1 day/April
International Labour Day 1day/1May
Buddha’s Birthday 1 day/May
TuenNg Festival (Dragon Boat) Festival 1 day/June
Handover HKSAR Anniversary 1day/1 July
Mid-Autumn (Moon) Festival 1day/September
National Holiday 3 days/1October
CheungYeungFestival 1day/October
ChristmasDay 1 day/25December
BoxingDay 1 day/26December
Lantern Festival is held on the 15 th day of the first month of the Lunar Year and celebrates the
endoftheSpringFestival and thefirstfullmoonoftheNewYear.Followinga long traditiondating
back to the Han Dynasty, people celebrate by carrying bright-colored lanterns through the streets
and eating glutinous rice balls.
Tomb-SweepingDay(ChingMing) inChinesemeans“cleanandbright”.InWesternterms,
this holiday is aChineseMemorial is a time of sentimental remembrance of thosewho
have passed on, by those who continue. Entire families take the day to clean and manicure their
forebears’ resting place.
Dragon Boat Festival (DuanWu day of Right mid-day) is the 5th day of the 5thmonth of
the lunar year.The story behind this unique celebration dates backmore than 2000 years
agocenteringonapatriotic courtofficialnamedQuYuan.Qutried towarntheemperorofan
increasingly corruptgovernmentbutfailed.Ina lastdesperateprotest,he threwhimself into the
river and drowned. Later, Qu’s sympathizers jumped into boats beat the water with their oars and
made rice dumplings wrapped in reed leaves (Zongzi) and scattered them into the River in the
hope that fish would eat them instead of Qu’s body. Today, People eat “Zong Zi” and organize boat
race to make theoccasion.
Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month usually around September
each year.Celebrating the full moon people eat moon cakes! Moon cakes are usually a sweet
pastrywitha varietyoffillingsavailable,mostcommonly includingegg yolk and redbeanpaste.
It is also a time where boxed ‘moon cakes’ are commonly given and received as gifts. This is
oneofthemost celebrated festivals amongst westernerswhogo to thebeaches for sunsetand
sundowners with children armed with lanterns.
Festivals and Events
Birthday of Buddha
April / May. Buddhist Temples.
Cheung Chau Bun Festival
May.
Chinese Lunar New Year
Feb. spectacular fireworks.
Dragon Boat Festival
June.
Hungry Ghost
Aug / Sept. Chinese Opera
Mid Autumn Festival
October. Lantern Festival
For a brief overview of festival origins
and the dates when they are celebrated,
pickupacopyoftheHongKongTourist
Association’s free brochure,“Events and
Festivals”.
Hong Kong Tourist Association
Tel: 2508 1234
More details visit: