Chinese Calendar 2011

Chinese festivals in 2011

Western dates for 2011. Most festivals follow the lunar calendar; Qingming and the Winter Solstice follow the sun.

• Jan11Tue

  Laba Festival腊八节

  12th month, day 8 · 腊月初八

  Laba congee; the start of the run-up to New Year.

• Feb2Wed

  Chinese New Year’s Eve除夕

  12th month, day 30 · 腊月三十

  Last day of the lunar year: reunion dinner and the CMG Spring Festival Gala.

• Feb3Thu

  Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)春节

  1st month, day 1 · 正月初一

  First day of the lunar year and the biggest family holiday of the year.

• Feb17Thu

  Lantern Festival元宵节

  1st month, day 15 · 正月十五

  Lanterns, riddles and tangyuan; it closes the New Year season.

• Apr5Tue

  Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day)清明节

  solar term · 3rd month, day 3 · 清明

  Families visit and tidy ancestors’ graves. Set by the sun, not the moon.

• Jun6Mon

  Dragon Boat Festival端午节

  5th month, day 5 · 五月初五

  Dragon-boat races and zongzi, sticky rice wrapped in leaves.

• Aug6Sat

  Qixi Festival七夕

  7th month, day 7 · 七月初七

  The cowherd and weaver-girl legend, often called Chinese Valentine’s Day.

• Aug14Sun

  Ghost Festival中元节

  7th month, day 15 · 七月十五

  Offerings for ancestors and wandering spirits.

• Sept12Mon

  Mid-Autumn Festival中秋节

  8th month, day 15 · 八月十五

  Mooncakes and family reunions under the full moon.

• Oct5Wed

  Double Ninth Festival重阳节

  9th month, day 9 · 九月初九

  Climbing heights and honouring older people.

• Dec22Thu

  Winter Solstice冬至

  solar term · 11th month, day 28 · 冬至

  Dumplings or tangyuan, depending on the region. Set by the sun.

Lunar months of the year 2011

Lunar year 2011 runs from 3 February 2011 to 22 January 2012: 12 months, 354 days.

The 24 solar terms in 2011

Solar terms (节气 jiéqì) mark the sun’s position, so their dates barely move from year to year. Dates are in Beijing time.

• 小寒
  Minor Cold
  6 Jan 2011
• 大寒
  Major Cold
  20 Jan 2011
• 立春
  Start of Spring
  4 Feb 2011
• 雨水
  Rain Water
  19 Feb 2011
• 惊蛰
  Awakening of Insects
  6 Mar 2011
• 春分
  Spring Equinox
  21 Mar 2011
• 清明
  Pure Brightness (Qingming)
  5 Apr 2011
• 谷雨
  Grain Rain
  20 Apr 2011
• 立夏
  Start of Summer
  6 May 2011
• 小满
  Grain Buds
  21 May 2011
• 芒种
  Grain in Ear
  6 Jun 2011
• 夏至
  Summer Solstice
  22 Jun 2011
• 小暑
  Minor Heat
  7 Jul 2011
• 大暑
  Major Heat
  23 Jul 2011
• 立秋
  Start of Autumn
  8 Aug 2011
• 处暑
  End of Heat
  23 Aug 2011
• 白露
  White Dew
  8 Sept 2011
• 秋分
  Autumn Equinox
  23 Sept 2011
• 寒露
  Cold Dew
  8 Oct 2011
• 霜降
  Frost's Descent
  24 Oct 2011
• 立冬
  Start of Winter
  8 Nov 2011
• 小雪
  Minor Snow
  23 Nov 2011
• 大雪
  Major Snow
  7 Dec 2011
• 冬至
  Winter Solstice
  22 Dec 2011

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