What You Should Know About Chinese Holidays

Here's a nifty table all linked up to give you more information about Chinese Holidays.
Notes:

• On Women's Day the ladies can get free drinks at many bars and restaurants.
• Many expats leave China during Spring Festival, not only to escape to warmer climates, but also to avoid the craziness that ensues when millions of people travel home to spend time with their families. Planes are overbooked, airfare doubles, roundtrip tickets are not sold and trains are over capacity. Many expats also leave to get some sleep! During this time it's non-stop firecrackers all day and most of the night.
• If you happen to stay in Beijing during Spring Festival, it's as close to a ghost town as you will ever see it. You can have a whole subway car to yourself, the Ring roads are traffic jam free and it's the one time of year you don't have to claw your way into a bus.
• Moon Cakes (月饼, yuè bĭng) are exchanged during Mid- Autumn Festival and come in many varieties. Expect to receive a ton from colleagues and students. 
• Zong Zi ( 粽子) , like Chinese rice tamales, are eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival. This is the only time of year they are really eaten and you will see many street vendors selling them.

Festival	Date	Legal Holidays	2011	2012
New Year's Day	Jan. 1	1 day	Jan. 1- 3	Jan. 1- 3
Spring Festival (Golden Week)	Varies based on lunar calendar	3 days (the last day of the last lunar month and the first and second days of the first lunar month)	Feb. 3, 2011. The holiday is from Feb. 2 to 8	Jan. 23, 2012. The holiday is from Jan. 22 to 28
Women's Day	Mar. 8	1/2 day for women	1/2 day  Mar. 8	1/2 day Mar. 8
Qingming Festival	Apr. 4 or 5	1-2 days	Apr. 5, 2011	Apr. 5, 2012
May Day	May 1	1 day	Apr. 30 - May 2, 2011	May 1 - 3, 2012
Youth Day	May 4	1/2 for youths above 14 years old	1/2 day May 4	1/2 of May 4
Children's Day	Jun. 1	1 day for children under 13 years old	Jun. 1	Jun. 1
Dragon Boat Festival	the 5th day of the 5th lunar month	1 day	Jun. 6	Jun. 23
Anniversary of the Founding of the CCP	Jul. 1	no days off	no holiday	no holiday
PLA Day	Aug. 1	1/2 day for active army	1/2 day of Aug. 1	1/2 day Aug. 1
Mid-Autumn Day	Aug. 15 according to the lunar calendar	1 day	Sep. 12	Sep. 30
National Day (Golden Week)	Oct. 1	3 days (Oct. 1- 3)	Oct. 1  - 7	Oct. 1  - 7