The National Day of the People's Republic of China is a public holiday in the People's Republic of China to celebrate the national day, and is celebrated annually on October 1.
The PRC (People's Republic of China) was founded on October 1, 1949, with a ceremony celebrating the forming of the Central People's Government taking place in Tiananmen Square on the same day that year. The first public parade of the new People's Liberation Army took place there, following the address by the country's first Chairman Mao Zedong officially declaring the formal establishment of the Republic. The Central People's Government passed the Resolution on the National Day of the People's Republic of China on December 2, 1949, and declared that October 1 is the National Day.
Chinese National Day is celebrated on October 1st every year to commemorate the founding of People’s Republic of China. On that day, lots of large-scaled activities are held nationwide. The 7-day holiday from Oct. 1st to 7th is called 'Golden Week', during which a large number of Chinese people go traveling around the country.
2019 Chinese National Day Holiday Schedule
Oct. 1 | Oct. 2 | Oct. 3 | Oct. 4 | Oct. 5 | Oct. 6 | Oct. 7 |
3 days' legal holiday | deferred holidays for Sep. 29 (Sun) | normal weekend | advance leave for Oct. 12 (Sat) | |||
* Note: The holiday dates are Oct. 1st to 7th 2019, while people will be on duty on Sep. 29th (Sun) and Oct. 12th (Sat).
Why is it called Golden Week?
Falling in autumn season with clear weather and comfortable temperatures, Chinese National Day holiday is a golden time for travel. It is the longest public holiday in China besides the Chinese New Year. The weeklong holiday enables both short-distance and long-distance trips, resulting in a boom of tourist revenue, as well as an overwhelming tourist crowd.
Oct. 1st Military Review & Parade in Beijing
On the Tiananmen Square in Beijing, altogether 14 military reviews have been held on October 1st since 1949. The most representative and influential ones include the military reviews on the founding ceremony, the 5th anniversary, 10th anniversary, 35th anniversary, 50th anniversary and 60th anniversary. Those impressive military reviews have attracted people from both home and abroad to watch. Following the military reviews are usually huge parades by common people to express their patriotic feelings. The Military Review & Parade is now held in a small scale every 5 years and in a large scale every 10 years.
Other Celebration Activities
Other activities like flag-raising ceremonies, dance and song shows, firework displays and painting and calligraphy exhibitions are also held to celebrate the National Day. If one loves shopping, National Day holiday is a great time, for many shopping malls offer big discounts during the holiday.
