June 2005

China Internet Information Center

June 2005


			1	2	3	4

5 Grain in Ear	6	7 1st/5th mo.	8	9	10	11

12	13	14	15	16	17	18

19	20	21 Summer Solstice	22 16th/5th mo.	23	24	25

Holidays and Observances:

1: International Children' s Day (1 day off for children under 14).

Sheep and Horse Festival, celebrated by Miao people with grand gatherings on the days of sheep or horse around the 26th of the 4th lunar month. Legend has it that during a war at the end of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Miao people used sheep and horses to mislead the enemy and finally won victory. The festival is held to show their reverence for these animals.

11: Dragon Boat Festival (5th of the fifth lunar month). Celebrated in memory of poet and minister of the State of Chu Qu Yuan (340-278 BC). Celebrated by eating zongzi, pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in reed or bamboo leaves, and holding dragon boat races.

19: Father's Day.

23: Erlang Mountain Singsong Gathering, a social activity held by Han and Hui Chinese in Mingxuan County, Gansu Province

Notes:

1. In the traditional calendar, the new moon indicates the first day of a lunar month; the full moon marks the 15th day.

2. Dates in red are official holidays. To give workers three week-long holidays during the year, the Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding or following the extended holiday are official workdays. In 2005, there are official work weekends in February and October, and one divided between late April and early May.

3. The 24 Seasonal Division Points:

	Order & Name of Seasonal Division Point	Sun's Position at Ecliptic	Gregorian Calendar Date
Spring	1.Beginning of Spring 2.Rain Water 3.Waking of Insects 4.Vernal Equinox 5.Pure Brightness 6.Grain Rain	315° 330° 345° 0° 15° 30°	4 or 5 February 19 or 20 February 5 or 6 March 20 or 21 March 5 or 6 April 20 or 21 April
Summer	7.Beginning of Summer 8.Grain Budding 9.Grain in Ear 10.Summer Solstice 11.Slight Heat 12.Great Heat	45° 60° 75° 90° 105° 120°	5 or 6 May 21 or 22 May 6 or 7 June 21 or 22 June 7 or 8 July 23 or 24 July
Autumn	13.Beginning of Autumn 14.Limit of Heat 15.White Dew 16.Autumnal Equinox 17.Cold Dew 18.Frost's Descent	135° 150° 165° 180° 195° 210°	7 or 8 August 23 or 24 August 7 or 8 September 23 or 24 September 8 or 9 October 23 or 24 October
Winter	19.Beginning of Winter 20.Slight Snow 21.Great Snow 22.Winter Solstice 23.Slight Cold 24.Great Cold	225° 240° 255° 270° 285° 300°	7 or 8 November 23 or 22 November 7 or 8 December 22 or 23 December 5 or 6 January 20 or 21 January