In the fine tradition of making up holidays on an annual basis, the government has officially announced the national holidays for 2010. You can read about it (in Chinese) here. Or you can consult our handy holiday table below.

2010 Festivals and Holidays

New Year Holiday
    31-Dec-09 Thursday    Working Day           
    1-Jan-10    Friday    Holidays           
    2-Jan-10    Saturday               
    3-Jan-10    Sunday               
    4-Jan-10    Monday    Working Day

Spring Festival
    12-Feb-10    Friday    Working Day           
    13-Feb-10    Saturday    Holidays           
    14-Feb-10    Sunday               
    15-Feb-10    Monday               
    16-Feb-10    Tuesday               
    17-Feb-10    Wednesday               
    18-Feb-10    Thursday               
    19-Feb-10    Friday               
    20-Feb-10    Saturday    Working Days           
    21-Feb-10    Sunday

Ching Ming Festival (Tomb Sweeping) Festival
    2-Apr-10    Friday    Working Day           
   3-Apr-10    Saturday    Holidays           
    4-Apr-10    Sunday               
    5-Apr-10    Monday                         
6-Apr-10    Tuesday    Working Day

Labor Day
    1-May-10    Saturday    Holidays           
    2-May-09    Sunday               
    3-May-09    Monday               
    4-May-09    Tuesday    Working Days

Dragon Boat Festival
     12-Jun-10    Saturday    Working Days           
    13-Jun-10    Sunday               
    14-Jun-10    Monday    Holidays           
    15-Jun-10    Tuesday               
    16-Jun-10    Wednesday

Mid-Autumn Festival
    19-Sep-10    Sunday    Working Days           
    20-Sep-10    Monday               
    21-Sep-10    Tuesday               
    22-Sep-10    Wednesday    Holidays           
    23-Sep-10    Thursday               
    24-Sep-10    Friday               
    25-Sep-10    Saturday    Working Days           
    26-Sep-10    Sunday

2010 National Holiday
    30-Sep-10    Thursday    Working Day           
    1-Oct-10    Friday    Holidays           
    2-Oct-10    Saturday               
    3-Oct-10    Sunday               
    4-Oct-10    Monday               
    5-Oct-10    Tuesday               
    6-Oct-10    Wednesday               
    7-Oct-10    Thursday               
    8-Oct-10    Friday    Working Days           
    9-Oct-10    Saturday

The above arrangements are subject to change in accordance with local and central government decrees in any particular period. In the case of any such changes the management will inform the staff as soon as reasonably possible.

In other local news, Beijing Daze has reported the 2010 Beijing museum pass is now available. Daze writes, “A mere RMB 80 gives you access to over 60 museums in the capital like the illustrious “tap water museum” or even the “Confucius Temple”.

Some of the key attractions covered by the pass are:

·    Capital Museum
·    Beijing Planetarium
·    Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall
·    Ancient Observatory
·    Confucius Temple
·    Beijing Botanical Garden
·    Lu Xun Museum
·    Zhihua Temple

According to Beijing Daze, “you can get them from any/all post offices or call the hotline to order it” on 62213256, 62213275, 86660652, or 62223793.

For more information on many of the sites covered by the pass, consult the 2010 Insider's Guide to Beijing, released last week and available at places like the Bookworm now.