Interesting Facts About Labor Day in China

May 1 Labor Day 五一劳动节 (Wǔ-Yī Láodòngjié) is a national holiday in China that every Chinese looks forward to every year. The holiday lasts three days. It allows people to alleviate their stress and spend some time with their families. In this article, we would like to give you a brief introduction to the history of Labor Day in China. And we’ll provide you with a rough idea of what Chinese people like to do during the holiday.

The History of Labor Day in China

It’s said that the origin of Labor Day is closely related to Chinese revolutionary intelligentsia, who started to distribute flyers devoted to the so-called “May Day” in large cities in China. On May 1, 1920, demonstrations and public speeches were organized by ordinary workers in major Chinese cities. This led to the fact that people started to realize the exploitation of the working class. In December 1949, the Chinese government decided to make Labor Day a national holiday.

What People Like to Do on Labor Day in China

1. Time For Yourself

There are no specific public events organized during the Labor Day holiday. And most people treat it as a good opportunity to spend some time with their families or hang out with friends. What they want to do is simply get rid of all the concerns at work. And at the same time create a relaxing atmosphere that would allow them to “feel refreshed”. Meanwhile, some people would choose to “invest themselves” in some extra work as it’s a good chance to make some extra money.

2. Friends Time

Many Chinese people would love to spend time with their friends during the Labor Day holiday. Having lunch or dinner together while chat about their daily lives is what many Chinese people enjoy doing. Since the concept of friendship plays a tremendous role in Chinese culture, Chinese people meet up with their friends regularly, especially during holidays.

3. Shopping

Chinese People enjoy shopping any time during the year. It is a great opportunity to meet friends and go shopping during the holidays. When a group of girls gets together, their passion for shopping wouldn’t just let them “waste” the whole afternoon in a cozy coffee shop. As numerous shops offer discounts on all kinds of items to celebrate the Labor Day holiday, Chinese girls certainly wouldn’t like to miss out on that.

4. Traveling

Meanwhile, some Chinese people also take this opportunity to go traveling. Nevertheless, since they can only rest for three days, most of them choose to visit some scenic spots in the city where they live or go somewhere near it. Nowadays ancient water towns are very popular among Chinese people. It’s a great opportunity to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. At the same time, people will be able to gain a deeper understanding of traditional Chinese architecture by visiting these ancient towns.

5. Working

While most people are putting up their feet during the Labor Day holiday. Some “workaholics” choose to work overtime because they can’t stand “idling around”. More importantly, it’s a good chance to make some extra money. As working overtime during national holidays is always considered lucrative in China.

We hope you’ve learned a little bit more about China. To find out more interesting facts about china and Chinese culture, check out one of our blog posts How to Describe 5 Types of Weather in Chinese