Holidays and Observances:
1: Army Day (82nd anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People' s Liberation Army, 1/2 day off for those on active duty).
8: Beijing 2009 Olympic Games begin.
14: Torch Festival, days-long main holiday of the Yi ethnic minority. Usually held after the 24th day of the 6th lunar month, although groups living Guizhou Province celebrate it around the 3rd. Activities include music and dance, bullfights and a torch parade.
18: International Youth Day
20: New Year Festival of Tujia ethnic minority. On the 1st day of the 7th lunar month, families prepare delicious food and invite their relatives and friends for a gathering.
23: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, celebrated on 23 August of every year. The night of 22 to 23 August 1791, in Santo Domingo (today Haiti and the Dominican Republic) saw the beginning of the uprising that would play a crucial role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.
26: Double Seventh Festival, a traditional festival of romance on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month. Legend has it that the star-crossed Cowherd and the Weaving Girl meet on that evening every year in Heaven.
Nadam Fair, held during the 7th lunar month, is the grandest festival of the Mongolians. Activities include wrestling, horseracing and archery competitions, as well as trading of goods. |
