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CHINESE & EAST ASIAN CULTURAL OCCASIONS
Mid-Autumn Festival
With local variations across Asia, the Mid Autumn Festival takes place in late September or October. Derived from Chinese mythology, the fall harvest celebrates the legend of Chang'e, the goddess who flew to the moon after taking elixirs of immortality. Key elements include full moon worship, jade rabbits, flying lanterns, mitten crabs, mooncakes, mochi or other sweets, and family reunion.
Lunar New Year
In China and in many East Asian and Southeast Asian cultures, the “Lunar New Year” is the most important and festive holiday. It takes place in January or February and is celebrated in various ways. Elements include the character “Fú,” red envelopes, dragon & lion dance, firework shows, family reunions, and dinners with delicacies such as tasty fish dishes.
Ching Ming Festival
Also known as “Tomb-Sweeping Day” or “Chinese Memorial Day,” Ching Ming falls on the 4th, 5th or 6th of April. Key elements include visiting ancestors' tombs, burning joss sticks/paper, sharing Green Mugwort-Leaf Dumplings, and going on a spring walk with “Ta Qing” (or literally, “Stepping on the Green”).
520 Chinese Valentine's Day
May 20th is regarded as China’s “Cyber Valentine's Day” as “Five, Two, Zero” can sound similar to “I Love You” in Mandarin. It’s a day popular for romantic gift-giving and marriage registrations. Initially an internet and retail marketing hallmark, “520” has become a widely-loved public tradition.
Dragon Boat Festival
Also known as the “Double Fifth Festival,” the Dragon Boat Festival falls in late May or June, occurring on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese calendar. The festival honours the ancient poet, Qu Yuan (340 BC–278 BC), with dragon boat races and savoury Zongzi rice dumplings.
Double 7th (Qixi) Festival
Regarded as China’s traditional “Valentine's Day,” Double 7th comes from Chinese mythology and tells the story of a forbidden romance between the Cowherd and Weaver Girl. Banished to opposite sides of the Milky Way, the lovers meet on the Magpie Bridge on the 7th day of the 7th month of the Chinese calendar in late August or September.
Double 9 Festival
Also known as “Chongyang” or “Chung Yeung Festival,” this holiday takes place in late October or November and is a day about caring for and showing appreciation to the elderly. Key elements include Chongyang cakes, Chrysanthemum tea, climbing hills, and visiting ancestral graves.
Singles' Day
Started by Alibaba in 2009 as a marketing campaign. November 11th - the date with the most ‘1’s – is China’s “Black Friday.” As the biggest global online shopping festival, in 2022, the gross merchandise volume on “Singles' Day” was around 225 billion CAD, surpassing both Black Friday and Cyber Monday.