Golden Week (China)
Encyclopedia
Golden Week in the mainland
of the People's Republic of China
is the name given to two annual 7-day national holidays, implemented in 2000:
A third Golden Week holiday, which spanned May 1 and celebrated Labour Day
, existed until 2007.
Three days of paid holiday are given, and the surrounding weekends are re-arranged so that workers in Chinese companies always have seven continuous days of holiday. These national holidays were first started by the government for the PRC
's National Day in 1999 and are primarily intended to help expand the domestic tourism
market and improve the national standard of living
, as well as allowing people to make long-distance family visits. The Golden Weeks are consequently periods of greatly heightened travel activity.
An estimated 28 million Chinese traveled during the first National Day Golden Week in 1999. In 2007, this number had increased to over 120 million.
In 2006, delegates to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
brought up proposals to cancel both the National Day
and May Day
Golden Weeks, arguing that the holidays have not achieved significant results in promoting internal consumption, which was the original intention for these long holiday weeks. Rather, the delegates said, these Golden Weeks have disrupted people's regular 5-day weekly schedule and is increasingly impeding commerce and international trade, as many key government agencies, especially those related to customs, tax/tariff collection, and legal affairs, are shut down for seven days. Instead, they proposed, these days off should be spread out to other traditional holidays not currently recognized as public holidays, including Mid-Autumn Festival
, Dragon Boat Festival
, and Qingming Festival
. Golden Weeks were sustained as weekly holidays through 2007.
An article in the International Herald Tribune stated that the committee that is reviewing the new plan posted it for public comment in November 2007, with the intention of implementing it in early 2008. According to this article, the May Day
holiday will be reduced to one day, with new one-day holidays for the Mid-Autumn Festival
, Dragon Boat Festival
, and Qingming Festival
. The Spring Festival and National Day
would remain three-day holidays, though they would be adjusted to prevent them from becoming seven consecutive days, as is the current practice.
On December 16, 2007, China’s official news agency said the Chinese population is to have a further three national holidays and lose only one of its golden weeks, the May Day holiday, according to the calendar reform that the Government has approved. May Day itself has now become a one-day holiday. Three traditional festivals—Tomb-Sweeping Day (Qingming Festival), Dragon-boat Festival and Mid Autumn Festival—are added to the list of public holidays. With this revision of the labour calendar, the Chinese government aims to recover the customs associated to traditional festivals and balance tourist demand during the weeks of holidays, according to the Xinhua News Agency
. In practice, the new calendar, which came into force on January 1, 2008, will increase national holidays from 10 to 11 days. A spokesperson for the National Commission for Development and Reform said that the new plan would ratify Chinese traditions, better distribute holidays and prevent the “overcrowding” of the “golden weeks” when more people travel during the new holidays and during the periods of paid holidays.
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
is the name given to two annual 7-day national holidays, implemented in 2000:
- The "Spring Festival (or Chinese Lunar New Year) Golden Week" begins in January or February.
- The "National DayNational Day of the People's Republic of ChinaThe National Day of the People's Republic of China is celebrated every year on October 1. It is a public holiday in the People's Republic of China to celebrate their national day.The PRC was founded on October 1, 1949 with a ceremony at Tiananmen Square...
Golden Week" begins around October 1.
A third Golden Week holiday, which spanned May 1 and celebrated Labour Day
Labour Day
Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for...
, existed until 2007.
Three days of paid holiday are given, and the surrounding weekends are re-arranged so that workers in Chinese companies always have seven continuous days of holiday. These national holidays were first started by the government for the PRC
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
's National Day in 1999 and are primarily intended to help expand the domestic tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
market and improve the national standard of living
Standard of living
Standard of living is generally measured by standards such as real income per person and poverty rate. Other measures such as access and quality of health care, income growth inequality and educational standards are also used. Examples are access to certain goods , or measures of health such as...
, as well as allowing people to make long-distance family visits. The Golden Weeks are consequently periods of greatly heightened travel activity.
An estimated 28 million Chinese traveled during the first National Day Golden Week in 1999. In 2007, this number had increased to over 120 million.
Controversy
In 2004, there were calls for the Golden Week holidays to be cut back, due to their disruption of the regular economy.In 2006, delegates to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference [], shortened as 人民政协, Rénmín Zhèngxié, i.e. "People's PCC"; or just 政协, Zhèngxié, i.e. "The PCC"), abbreviated CPPCC, is a political advisory body in the People's Republic of China...
brought up proposals to cancel both the National Day
National Day
The National Day is a designated date on which celebrations mark the nationhood of a nation or non-sovereign country. This nationhood can be symbolized by the date of independence, of becoming republic or a significant date for a patron saint or a ruler . Often the day is not called "National Day"...
and May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
Golden Weeks, arguing that the holidays have not achieved significant results in promoting internal consumption, which was the original intention for these long holiday weeks. Rather, the delegates said, these Golden Weeks have disrupted people's regular 5-day weekly schedule and is increasingly impeding commerce and international trade, as many key government agencies, especially those related to customs, tax/tariff collection, and legal affairs, are shut down for seven days. Instead, they proposed, these days off should be spread out to other traditional holidays not currently recognized as public holidays, including Mid-Autumn Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival , also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival or Zhongqiu Festival, is a popular lunar harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people. A description of the festival first appeared in Rites of Zhou, a written collection of rituals of the Western Zhou...
, Dragon Boat Festival
Dragon Boat Festival
Duanwu Festival, also known as Dragon Boat Festival and the Double Fifth, is a traditional and statutory holiday originating in China and associated with a number of East Asian and Southeast Asian societies...
, and Qingming Festival
Qingming Festival
The Qingming Festival , Pure Brightness Festival or Clear Bright Festival, Ancestors Day or Tomb Sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival on the 104th day after the winter solstice , usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar...
. Golden Weeks were sustained as weekly holidays through 2007.
An article in the International Herald Tribune stated that the committee that is reviewing the new plan posted it for public comment in November 2007, with the intention of implementing it in early 2008. According to this article, the May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
holiday will be reduced to one day, with new one-day holidays for the Mid-Autumn Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival , also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival or Zhongqiu Festival, is a popular lunar harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people. A description of the festival first appeared in Rites of Zhou, a written collection of rituals of the Western Zhou...
, Dragon Boat Festival
Dragon Boat Festival
Duanwu Festival, also known as Dragon Boat Festival and the Double Fifth, is a traditional and statutory holiday originating in China and associated with a number of East Asian and Southeast Asian societies...
, and Qingming Festival
Qingming Festival
The Qingming Festival , Pure Brightness Festival or Clear Bright Festival, Ancestors Day or Tomb Sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival on the 104th day after the winter solstice , usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar...
. The Spring Festival and National Day
National Day
The National Day is a designated date on which celebrations mark the nationhood of a nation or non-sovereign country. This nationhood can be symbolized by the date of independence, of becoming republic or a significant date for a patron saint or a ruler . Often the day is not called "National Day"...
would remain three-day holidays, though they would be adjusted to prevent them from becoming seven consecutive days, as is the current practice.
On December 16, 2007, China’s official news agency said the Chinese population is to have a further three national holidays and lose only one of its golden weeks, the May Day holiday, according to the calendar reform that the Government has approved. May Day itself has now become a one-day holiday. Three traditional festivals—Tomb-Sweeping Day (Qingming Festival), Dragon-boat Festival and Mid Autumn Festival—are added to the list of public holidays. With this revision of the labour calendar, the Chinese government aims to recover the customs associated to traditional festivals and balance tourist demand during the weeks of holidays, according to the Xinhua News Agency
Xinhua News Agency
The Xinhua News Agency is the official press agency of the government of the People's Republic of China and the biggest center for collecting information and press conferences in the PRC. It is the largest news agency in the PRC, ahead of the China News Service...
. In practice, the new calendar, which came into force on January 1, 2008, will increase national holidays from 10 to 11 days. A spokesperson for the National Commission for Development and Reform said that the new plan would ratify Chinese traditions, better distribute holidays and prevent the “overcrowding” of the “golden weeks” when more people travel during the new holidays and during the periods of paid holidays.
External links
- http://www.macauhub.com.mo/en/news.php?ID=4565