Minor Festivals
Minor Chinese Festivals
Compiled by Cecil Lee, Copyright (C), Geomancy.net, January 2000
Chinese history is over 5,000 years old. This page is specially created for Overseas Chinese and anyone interested in understanding the roots. Dates are also provided for major Chinese festivals (see below).
1st Lunar Month | Occasion |
1st Day | Prayers and offerings to ancestors and the Heaven. |
2nd Day | Birthday of Ji Gong. An immortal who is said to bring wealth and good luck. |
3rd Day | Taoist celebrate the birthday of the Sun deity and of our sun. |
4th Day | Prayers to the deity of the guardian of women. |
7th Day | This day was said to be the day human beings were created by Pan Gu, an ancestor of the ancient Chinese. |
8th Day | Birthday of Cereal Emperor who grants longevity. |
9th Day | Birthday of Jade Emperor or Heaven God (Tian Gong). The supreme deity. |
10th Day | Earth God or Di Gong Festival. |
13th Day | Birthday of God of Wealth. |
15th Day | The Lantern Festival and the end of Chinese New Year. Birthday of the Heaven Emperor: Ziwei. The Emperor grants blessings. This day is known as the Superior principles day commemorating Heaven, Earth and Water. |
16th Day | Shui Jing Festival for farmers. |
19th Day | Celebration for the two Door Gods to ensure protection for family and success for the coming year. Feast of Qui Chuji is to commemorate Qiu who was considered the father of jade by craftsmen in the jade trade in China. |
20th Day | Birthday of Shen Tai the distributor of wealth. He was a devoted disciple of the Goddess of Mercy (Guan Yin) |
26th Day | Festival of God of Money |
2nd Lunar Month | Occasion |
1st Day | Festival of the Sun. On this day, the sun visits the Jade Emperor to discuss the coming year. Birthday of Star God. |
2nd Day | Birthday of local Earth God who is worshipped at home. Birthday of famous Confucian philosopher Mencius. |
3rd Day | Birthday of Literature God who was recognized as a god in the Shang Dynasty. |
6th Day | Birthday of the Eastern Mountain God. He reigns over Mount Tai. Temples known as Eastern Mountain Temples or Heaven Equaling Temple were set up to honor him. |
8th Day | Birthday of the Ruler of the Third Court of Hell. This hell is meant for unfilial sons and ministers. |
10th Day | Birthday of earth spirits related to agriculture. Celebrated by farmers. |
13th Day | Birthday of God of Fishermen and the sea (known as Hong Sheng). Celebrated by fisherman who hold operas and feasts. |
15th Day | Birthday of Lao Tzi, the revered founder of Taoism. |
18th Day | Birthday of the Ruler of the Fourth Court of Hell. This hell is meant for swindlers and cheats. |
19th Day | Birthday of Goddess of Mercy (Guan Yin). |
20th Day | Birthday of Bodhisattva Buddha (Tu Sha). |
25th Day | Celebration of everyone in the Palace of Heaven. |
3rd Lunar Month | Occasion |
1st Day | Birthday of the Ruler of the Second Court of Hell. This hell is meant for the condemned. |
3rd Day | Birthday of the great Taoist deity Demon-Exorcizing Heavenly Judge: Xuan Wu. His duty was to determine the life-span of each person. Birthday of the Guardian of the North. |
4th Day | Birthday of the secretary to the Jade Emperor. |
6th Day | Birthday of Zhang Lao. Day for remembering the elderly. |
8th Day | Birthday of the Ruler of the Sixth Court of Hell. This hell is meant for go against Heaven, earth or the Northern star). |
10th Day | Birthday of one of the gods of the Five Directions. (N, S, E, W & center) |
12th Day | Birthday of the Five Spirits for Fate and Destiny. |
15th Day | Birthday of God of Medicine. |
16th Day | Birthday of Lightning Goddess or Lightning Mother. |
18th Day | Birthday of the god of Central Mountain or Middle Mount Song. |
19th Day | Birthday of the Sun. |
23rd Day | Birthday of the Heavenly Queen: Ma Zhu. People often relate seeing a lady in red flying above the sea to rescue those who are in danger of drowning. The Heavenly Palace in Beigang, Taiwan is dedicated to her. On this day, many followers worship her. |
27th Day | Birthday of Immortal General Ji. |
28th Day | Birthday of the legendary emperor who invented writing. |
5th Lunar Month | Occasion |
1st Day | Birthday of the Star of Longevity or Shou. A fictional figure associated with respect for the elderly and aged. He appears together with the two deities Fu (Luck) and Lu (Prosperity). |
5th Day | Day of sacrifice to the Earth. |
8th Day | Birthday of the Mother of Sea Dragon. She associated with protecting children from disasters and those at sea. |
10th Day | Birthday of one of the gods of the Five Directions. |
12th Day | Birthday of the son of Tai San (Mountain God). |
13th Day | Birthday of the City God. Associated with protecting the city from flooding of canals surrounding the city Birthday of the son of God of War (Guan Ti). Revered by students of martial arts. Martial arts displays and feasting is done on this day. |
16th Day | Festival of the union of Heaven and Earth and the creation of the universe. Birthday of Buddha, when he assumed human form on earth. |
18th Day | Birthday of Royal Mother. The head goddess of all the immortals. Associated with long life. |
6th Lunar Month | Occasion |
1st Day | Birthday of the Guardian Buddha of the Song Dynasty. He has a red face, a beard and protruding teeth. He guarded the Heavenly Jade Palace. He is associated with protecting the common people. |
6th Day | Birthday of Tai San (Mountain God). |
10th Day | Birthday of Liu Haichan. One of the Eight Immortals. His original name was Liu Cao. |
12th Day | Birthday of wells and streams. |
13th Day | Birthday of Master Lu Ban, the Skilled deity. Offerings to him whenever a new foundation for a new building begins. |
19th Day | Second birthday of Guan Yin. This date is to commemorate the conferring of Bodhisattva on her due to her earlier postponement to save human suffering. |
23rd Day | Birthday of the King of Horses. |
24th Day | Birthday of the God of War (Guan Ti). Birthday of the Fire God. |
26th Day | Birthday of Er Lang. The second son of an Indian king. He was a military (fighting) god who was the only person who could subdue the Monkey god when on one in Heaven could. He holds a magic pagoda in his hand. |
29th Day | Birthday of the deity of the Great Bear star constellation. |
7th Lunar Month | Occasion |
1st Day | Birthday of Tai Shang Lao Jun. His figurine can be found in most Taoist temples. He is a distinguished thinker. He is revered as he is considered one of the most supreme sage and is popularly worshipped till this day. |
7th Day | Double 7 is considered the most dangerous day of the year. The day when the gates of hell are opened for ghosts to roam the earth. Weddings, moving house and (external) outings are avoided. |
12th Day | Birthday of Taoist Immortal Changchun. Also known as Qiu Chuji. He was the founder of the Longmen Taoist Martial Arts School during the Yuan Dynasty. |
15th Day | Celebration and Festival of the three Taoist principles. |
18th Day | Birthday of Wang Mu Niang Niang or Queen Mother of Heaven. |
19th Day | Festival of the guardian deity in-charge for the year. The guardian is in-charge of both life and death for the year. |
20th Day | Birthday of the guardian of Palace of Kings. He helps the poor or the needy to seek an audience with the King. |
22nd Day | Birthday of the God of Fortune. |
24th Day | Birthday of the God of the local city. (Less important than the Birthday of the God of the City on the 13th Day of the 5th Month. |
29th Day | Birthday of the King of the Dark World. He is the person who opened the gate of hell on the first day of the 7th month. People would pray to him if they suffered from illness during the 7th month. Birthday of the Savior of the Dead. His picture is burned during funerals to help ease the passage of death for those sent to `hell'. |
8th Lunar Month | Occasion |
1st Day | Birthday of the god of Dragon Slayer. Birthday of the god of Golden Armour. |
2nd Day | Birthday of the Village God. A lesser ranking god than the City God. |
3rd Day | Birthday of the Kitchen God. He would report to the Jade Emperor on the 24th of the 12th Lunar month. |
5th Day | Birthday of the Thunder God. He is the god in charge of thunder and upheld justice. |
10th Day | Birthday of the Emperor of North Mountain. He reigns at the North Mount Heng. |
12th Day | Birthday of the Five Spirits for Fate and Destiny. |
15th Day | Birthday of the moon. On this day the moon is at the brightest in the Northern hemisphere. |
16th Day | Birthday of the Monkey God. His exploits are featured in the novel, Journey to the West. |
22nd Day | Birthday of the recarnate of Guatama Buddha. |
24th Day | Birthday of the God of Wealth and Pleasure. |
25th Day | Birthday of the Sun. |
9th Lunar Month | Occasion |
9th Day | Birthday of the Heavenly Queen of the Dipper constellation. Festival to commemorate the God of War becoming an immortal. |
15th Day | Birthday of Great Chu. |
17th Day | Birthday of one of four Dragon Kings. (North, South, East and West). |
18th Day | Birthday of the Sage of Writing. |
19th Day | Celebration of Goddess of Mercy becoming a Bodhisattva. |
29th Day | Birthday of the Protector of Fire. |
10th Lunar Month | Occasion |
1st Day | Festival of remembrance of the dead. Birthday of the King of the East or Mu Gong. His wife, rules the West. Both of them are revered Taoist deities. |
2nd Day | Birthday of Wise Immortal Cao. |
5th Day | Birthday of Bodhidharma. The founder of Japanese Zen Buddhism. |
6th Day | Birthday of one of the Emperors of the Five Mountains. |
10th Day | Birthday of the deity of smallpox. |
15th Day | Birthday of the Three Principles. |
16th Day | Birthday of the deity of Marriage. |
20th Day | Birthday of one of the gods of the Five Directions. |
27th Day | Festival of the North Pole Star. |
11th Lunar Month | Occasion |
5th Day | Festival of Confucius. |
6th Day | Birthday of the Emperor of the Western Mountain. Celebration of the Jade Emperor as the Supreme leader. |
11th Day | Birthday of Bodhisattva who relieves suffering. |
17th Day | Birthday of the great Buddha. It is a time of repentance. |
19th Day | Festival of the Nine Lotus Leaves controlled by the Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin. |
23rd Day | Birthday of Zhang Guo or Zhang Guo Lao. One of the Eight Immortals who lived in the Tang Dynasty. His picture is often placed above the bed of newly married couples. |
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