Taiwan Double Ten Day
Saturday, October 10, 2026
Uprising. The Wuchang Uprising, which marked the start of the Xinhai Revolution, began on October 10, ending over two millennia of imperial rule in China
History
Wuchang Uprising. The Wuchang Uprising, which marked the start of the Xinhai Revolution, began on October 10, ending over two millennia of imperial rule in China
How It's Celebrated
Taiwan Double Ten Day is observed by recognizing the importance of the day, learning about its background and significance, and sharing awareness with others through conversation and social media. Many people take time to reflect on the meaning of the observance and participate in relevant activities or community events.
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View all →Ching Ming Festival
Ching Ming Festival is one of China’s largest events based off of the lunar calendar. Ching Ming officially starts 104 days after the winter solstice. The festival usually begins on April 4th or 5th, but activities may start as early as 10 days prior. In English, Ching Ming is often referred to as Tomb Sweeping Day or Pure Brightness because of the holiday’s events. The primary role of the Ching Ming Festival is to pay respect to ancestors. While many Chinese holidays are oriented around ancestor worship, Ching Ming is the largest. Filial piety is a central aspect of traditional Chinese culture, so it should come as no surprise that this is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the Middle Kingdom. Nearly every ethnic group in China celebrates Ching Ming in one way or another. Ching Ming is also a celebration of spring because of the incoming planting season in most of China. According to Chinese stories and folklore, the Ching Ming Festival got its start sometime between 700 and 500 BCE. Legend states that a man named Jie Zitui, a loyal servant of a Chinese lord, helped his lord survive through exile. In order to prevent his lord from starving to death, Jie cut meat from his own leg and fed it to his lord. Surviving this ordeal, the lord returned to power 19 years later. By this time, the lord had forgotten about Jie’s service. Sometime later, the lord remembered Jie and felt regretful about forgetting. The lord intended to reward Jie, but by the time he found him, Jie had passed away. To honor the life and death of Jie, the lord established Ching Ming as a holiday to commemorate the dead. During the Ching Ming Festival, there are various customs and traditions that people take part in. One of the most enjoyed festival activities is kite flying. During the day, people fly kites of various colors to celebrate spring. People also celebrate the holiday with kites in the evening, but small lanterns are attached. When hundreds of kites are in the air, the Chinese sky looks like it is filled with many stars. The kites are symbolic of good fortune, but according to legend, they are also said to be able to cure and prevent diseases. In accordance with the Ching Ming Festival’s tradition of ancestor worship, an activity known as tomb sweeping is an important part of the festival day or the 10 days leading up to it. The purpose of this activity is to clean and beautify the graves or urns of ancestors. Weeds will removed from grave plots and fresh dirt will be brought to the surface. In many cases, people will also offer their ancestors their favorite food and wine as tribute. Incense and flowers may also be brought as a show of respect. There are many varieties of flowers that can be used during this holiday, but peach blossom and chrysanthemum flowers are among the most popular. In cities, the process of honoring the dead is not as elaborate due to the practice of cremation in place of traditional burials. In all cases, good prayers are said for ancestors and deceased relatives. After paying respects to ancestors, many Chinese take part in a spring outing, or taqing (踏青), to enjoy the warm weather and company of friends. The first spring outing occurred during the Tang Dynasty and it has become a time of celebration ever since. In order to get exercise and experience nature, many Chinese people will go on a trip to a city center or natural area. Popular activities include seeing gardens, walking through parks with family members, hiking through natural areas, and participating in sports. The spring outing is meant to promote happiness and good health habits after commemorating ancestors. As with most great festivals, Ching Ming offers a wide selection of special cuisine to celebrate happiness. One of the favorite dishes of Ching Ming is sazi (撒子). Sazi is fried wheat or rice flour that has been bound with eggs, onion, sesame, or other ingredients. The exact recipe for sazi depends on region and the chef. This is a salty or savory food that is enjoyed throughout China. Snails that have been seasoned with onion and salt are also a favorite dish during the Ching Ming Festival. To specifically celebrate the spring outing and warm months, Chinese people also enjoy qingtuan (青团), or green dumplings. These dumplings resemble green apples and are made of rice powder, green vegetable juice, and sweetened bean paste. Qingtuan have a sweet taste and are green. Some Chinese chefs also create their own unique variations of this dish.
Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival, or Duanwu Festival, is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. In 2026, Dragon Boat Festival falls on Friday 19 June. The holiday will be on Wednesday 9 June in 2027. While seeing family and friends, watching the dragon boat races and eating rice dumplings make for fond memories, the holiday actually celebrates a very somber occasion. Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese scholar, who lived in the third century BCE and served the king of Chu, was smart – perhaps too smart. His peers, tired of his wisdom, accused him of crimes that he didn’t commit. Exiled and distraught, Qu Yuan composed many hateful and sorrowful poems before drowning himself at the age of 61. Chu citizens jumped in their boats to search for him, but it was to no avail. Dragon boat races are held to this day in order to remember this failed attempt. Teams go against one another and try to reach a flag first, but before the race begins, each boat must have its dragon’s eyes painted in order to bring the boat to life. After failing to save Qu Yuan, citizens took to throwing rice into the river in which he had drowned. They wrapped the rice in leaves with hopes that it might keep the fish from eating his body. While no one today still hopes of saving Qu Yuan’s body, the rice wrapped in leaves has become a tradition and is eaten during the festival. The food is called Zongzi. The Dragon Boat Festival, meant to honor the dead and be enjoyed by the living, has other fun traditions that are observed. For instance, it has been said that if you can balance a raw egg on its end at noon on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, you will have good fortune for the remainder of the year.
Labour Day Holiday
Antigua and Barbuda observes Labour Day on the first Monday of May, not necessarily on the first day of May like most other countries do. This guarantees workers a long weekend to enjoy instead of just an isolated day off work. In 2027, Labour Day falls on Monday 3 May. The holiday will be on Monday 1 May in 2028. May is warm and balmy in this tropical island paradise, and Labour Day Weekend is the perfect chance for families to head out to the local beaches, explore island wildlife reserves, or go fishing or boating offshore. There are also usually some labour-related marches, parades, or protests. Many use the occasion of Labour Day to press for improved working conditions, higher salaries, more flexible schedules, and other workers’ rights. Political leaders are keen to horn in on the discussion, make promises, and give moving speeches.
Mid-Autumn Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival, also called “Moon Festival”, is celebrated in Taiwan and elsewhere in East Asia to mark the fall harvest and, to some, to offer traditional worship to the moon. In 2026, Mid Autumn Festival falls on Friday 25 September. The holiday will be on Wednesday 15 September in 2027. It comes on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Han Chinese calendar and falls on the full moon of either September or October on the Western calendar. Ethnic Chinese have been observing this holiday since at least the 10th Century B.C., and it has been extremely popular since the Tang Dynasty of the 7th through 10th Centuries A.D. Today, it is a day of joining together to feast and fellowship with family and friends, as much as a time when farmers give thanks at local temples for the recent harvest. Many also go to temples to pray for specific requests, such as to marry one’s desired partner, to give birth to a child, or to live a long, prosperous life. There are many ancient myths and fables connected to Mid-Autumn Festival. These are often told to young children this time of year, but adults “are allowed to” listen in too if they wish. You may hear about the sun and moon being married and the stars being their children, about the full moon being pregnant and the crescent moon having shrunk after giving birth. You will easily encounter the legend of Chang’e, but it’s hard to say which version, for there are many. One version has Chang’e the wife of a cruel emperor who is planning to drink a magic elixir that will make him live forever. To prevent everlasting oppression, she drinks the elixir herself and then flies off to become the moon goddess. Unlike China, Taiwan is not known for paper lantern displays during Mid-Autumn Festival, these being mostly put out on the 15th day of Chinese New Year, but travellers will still find much to do, such as the following: If in Taiwan during Mid-Autumn Festival, you will find there are many enjoyable events to participate in that will help you better understand Taiwanese culture.