Public & National Holidays in Taiwan

Instructions

• 1

  January

  
  New Year’s Day (January 1)
  
  Like in every other country, the New Year’s Day is also celebrated in Taiwan with a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm. The sky is lit with fireworks on the stroke of midnight, along with songs being sung to mark the start of a happy and prosperous new year.
• 2

  February

  
  Lunar New Year (February 11-15)
  
  The Chinese New Year is based upon the lunar cycle, and is therefore, subject to change with every coming year. This year, the Chinese New Year is set to take place in the second week of the month of February. It’s one of the most important traditional holidays for the locals. The New Year celebration also includes the lantern festivals, which are a major attraction for tourists all around the world, as thousands of lanterns are lit and flown into the sky creating a fascinating spectacle.
  
  228 Peace Memorial Day (February 28)
  
  The day marks the massacre of the local populace by the Kuomintang led government. The government violently suppressed the independence movement led by Taiwanese locals, killing nearly 30,000 civilians. It’s one of the deadliest massacres in the history of the region. The day is commemorated to pay homage to the victims of the massacre, being killed or tortured in prisons to death.
• 3

  April

  
  Children’s/Women’s Day (April 4)
  
  The day is commemorated to put an end to violence against women and children alike, marking the growing importance of their rights to be secured.
  
  Tomb Sweeping Day (April 5)
  
  Also known as the Qingming Festival, is a day commemorate the ancestors. The day is observed as a national holiday in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China. It’s the day when the Chinese people visit the graves of their ancestors. The event is another important traditional Chinese holiday, being celebrated with real enthusiasm.
• 4

  June

  
  Dragon Boat Festival (June 12)
  
  The festival is commemorated in honour of one of the greatest Chinese poets, Qu Yuan. It’s another one of the traditional Chinese holidays, and is celebrated throughout mainland China along with several other East Asian and Southeast Asian states. The event’s prime features include eating rice, drinking wine and dragon boat race competition.
• 5

  October

  
  Republic of China National Celebration (October 10)
  
  Also referred to as the Double Ten Day, is the National Day of Taiwan. The country celebrates the day to commemorate their independence from their previous monarchs, the Qing dynasty. The Wuchang Uprising of 1911 started the civil disobedience movement against then ruling dynasty, eventually resulting in the victory of the Nationalist front.