Spring Festival 2027: Planning Around the Long Holiday

China Field Notes · by Daona · 10 min read

The Spring Festival (春节) is the fixed point everything else bends around. Hundreds of millions travel home, offices empty, factories stop, messages go unanswered for a week or two — and in the weeks before, everyone tries to finish everything at once.

None of this is a surprise, so the problems are avoidable. This issue covers the dates, what closes, planning production and shipping backwards, the travel peak, red packets and bonuses, and permits and paperwork. Issue 18 covered the wider year-end calendar.

Spring Festival 2027 is Saturday 6 February; Chinese New Year's Eve (除夕) is Friday 5 February. It is the Year of the Goat (羊年).

Since 1 January 2025, under the amended Measures for National Holidays (全国年节及纪念日放假办法), the statutory Spring Festival holiday is four days — New Year's Eve and the first three days — out of 13 public holiday days a year.

Workers travelling far leave early, and not all return on the first working day; some change jobs after year-end pay. Factories restart with a skeleton crew and ramp up; guides commonly advise planning for reduced capacity for two to four weeks after reopening. Ask each supplier in writing for three dates: last production day, reopening day, normal capacity.

Anything that must ship before the holiday has to be finished well before it. Material suppliers close early, inspectors fill up, trucks run short, and carriers often cancel sailings around the holiday. Gulf buyers should add the routing uncertainty in Issue 25.

A buyer orders a container of furniture needing 40 days of production; the supplier closes on Friday 29 January.

Illustrative. 10–31 December is 21 days, plus 19 in January = 40. Real dates depend on the supplier, the carrier and the official notice.

The four days between cut-off and closing are the only slack: a week's delay in materials or a failed inspection means the goods wait until March. For this kind of order the decision point is late November, not January. If you miss it, plan for after the holiday and tell your customers now.

The Spring Festival travel season (春运) usually runs about 40 days, starting roughly two weeks before the festival. Train tickets sell on 12306 in advance and go fast on peak days.

· Book early; flights just before and just after are the most expensive.

· Avoid business trips in the two weeks either side unless essential.

· Expect quiet cities; deliveries slow and some services add holiday surcharges.

· Fireworks rules vary; many city centres restrict or ban them.

Red packets (红包). Money in a red envelope, now often sent by WeChat or Alipay. Many managers give small ones to their teams on the first working day (开工红包). Even numbers are preferred; amounts with a four are usually avoided. Ask a Chinese colleague what is usual in your office, and keep anything for business contacts modest and transparent (Issue 14).

Greetings. 新年快乐 (Happy New Year) and 春节快乐 (Happy Spring Festival) always work; 恭喜发财 (wishing you prosperity) is common and informal. A short WeChat message before the holiday is normal and appreciated.

Year-end bonus (年终奖). Not required by national law unless the contract or policy provides for it (Issue 17). Residents can opt for separate taxation of an annual one-off bonus until 31 December 2027 (Issues 09 and 18). Pay on the date your policy states; staff plan travel around it.

· Residence permits (居留许可) expiring January–March: apply early. Extensions must be filed at least 30 days before expiry, and exit-entry offices close. Check re-entry status before travelling (Issues 03 and 10).

· Tax filings falling in the holiday are usually extended; check the local notice.

· Fapiao for December and January costs: request before suppliers close (Issue 08).

· Payments: pay suppliers and wages due before the holiday on time — wage arrears draw strong attention before the festival. Allow extra days cross-border.

· Chops and tokens: arrange cover if the holder will be away (Issue 06).

Plan backwards from the festival. For production orders, the real deadline is in November.

Get three dates in writing from every supplier.

Wait for the State Council notice, then publish your office calendar quickly.

Renew permits early. A February expiry is a December task.

Respect the holiday. A clear message before and a greeting after go a long way.

Get help with the logistics, not the rules. Daona coordinates supplier follow-up and introductions to forwarders and inspection companies for foreign buyers; government and third-party fees are settled by the client directly at cost.

"The holiday is one week." The official break is usually eight or nine days; factories often stop for two to four weeks.

"Factories reopen at full capacity." They ramp up over weeks.

"We'll sort the permit after the holiday." You may be too late.

"The 2027 dates are known." The festival is; the holiday schedule was not published as of 20 October 2026.

"A red packet is a bribe." A small customary one to your own staff is not; gifts to officials or a client's decision-makers are different (Issue 14).

Rules as of October 2026. This column provides general information, not legal advice. The official 2027 holiday schedule is set by the State Council; follow the published notice. Residence permit matters are decided by the exit-entry authorities; supplier and carrier dates should be confirmed in writing. Government and third-party fees are settled by the client at cost.

China Field Notes · by Daona