BRIEFING DOCUMENT
KEY ASIAN HOLIDAYS
CHINESE
CHINESE NEW YEAR: 15 Day festival celebrated on the
second full moon after the winter solstice. The key days
of the Festival are the first and second. The largest
human migration in the world takes place during this 40
day period and most Chinese take one to two weeks
annual holiday. It is also celebrated in Korea and
Vietnam.
HARVEST FESTIVAL: Also known as the Mooncake
festival. It is a celebration of the end of summer harvest
and is linked to moon worship in China. The key day is
that of the Autumnal equinox when the moon is believed
to be at its roundest and fullest.
QINGMING FESTIVAL: Also known as Tomb Sweeping
Day or Clear Bright Festival. It is a spring festival when
people are encouraged to go outside and enjoy the new
greenery. It is also linked to ancestor veneration in
China. The day generally falls around the end of the first
week of April. It is also celebrated in Korea and Vietnam.
DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL: Closely associated with the
summer solstice, this Chinese statutory holiday is a
celebration of the longest day of the year. Dragon boat
typically falls somewhere between mid-June and early
July and is associated with all East Asian and Southeast
Asian societies.
* Common to both Chinese and South Asian communities are the annual Muslim festivals of Eid: Eid al Fitr and Eid al
Adha. Millions of Muslims in Chinese and South Asian countries observe these two holidays which rotate through the
Gregorian calendar according to lunar phasing. See page 10 for insight into Eid.
WHEN: CHINESE
Chinese New Year: Feb 14,2010 (Tiger) , Feb 3, 2011
(Rabbit) , Jan 23, 2012 (Dragon)
Harvest Festival: Sept 22, 2010 , Sept 12, 2011 ,
Sept 30, 2012
Qingming Festival: April 5, 2010& 2011 , April 4, 2012
Dragon Boat Festival: June 16, 2010 , June 6, 2011 , June
23, 2012
SOUTH ASIAN
DIWALI: Five day festival of considerable religious
significance to Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. Often referred to as
the Festival of Lights, it is celebrated in India, Pakistan and
Sri Lanka. It takes place somewhere between mid-October
and mid-November and celebrates both the harvest and
the human search for inner light and peace.
VAISAKHI: Punjabi spring harvest celebration that is
celebrated in both India and Pakistan. Sikhs commemorate
the creation of the Sikh code of conduct. Hindus in India
observe the day as the beginning of their solar New Year
and Tamils also mark it as the beginning of their New year.
HOLI: Usually falling in the later part of February or March,
Holi is celebrated primarily by Hindus. The celebration
marks a variety of events involving the Hindu deities
Vishnu, Krishna and Shiva. Key observations include a ritual
bonfire and the smearing of coloured powders and waters
by celebrants on each other. Holi can last up to 16 days.
NAVARATRI: Primarily a Hindu festival marking the
change of seasons, Navaratri is celebrated four times a year
although Sharada Navaratri, which is observed in late
September or early October, has the highest profile. In
particular it is during celebration of Sharada Navaratri that
the great Gujarati Garba dances are held.
WHEN: SOUTH ASIAN
Diwali: Nov 5, 2010 , Oct 26, 2011 , Nov 13, 2012
Vaisakhi (Sikh): Apr 14, 2010 , Apr 14, 2011 ,
Apr 14, 2012
Vaisakhi (Hindu): March 16, 2010, April 12, 2011, March
23, 2012
Holi: March 1, 2010 , March 20, 2011 , March 8, 2012
Navaratri (Sharada Navaratri): Oct 8-18, 2010 , Sept 28 –
Oct 6, 2011 , Oct 16- 24, 2012