Festivals and Holidays

There are 17 designated public holidays in Hong Kong each year. In addition to Christmas, Boxing Day, Good Friday and Easter, Hong Kong celebrates Buddha’s birthday and other traditional Chinese festivals.

Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)

The most important of the Chinese Festivals and is celebrated on the first day of the first moon of the traditional lunar calendar, usually late January or early February depending on the Lunar Calendar of that particular year. Celebrating the new Chinese New Year also marks the start of the plowing and sowing season. During this 3-day holiday most of the Chinese population spend time with their families — the most important gathering includes a huge family feast on the eve of the New Year. Businesses are closed for 3-days and upwards of a week depending on the industry. It is also a period of great decoration, with homes, buildings and shops all well decorated with wishes of good luck. It happens to be the noisiest of all holidays, with a massive firework show over Victoria Harbour on the 1st day of the New Year. As the majority of the Chinese population tend to travel during this period, it is wise to book holidays in advance. Schools are usually closed for a week.

National Day

China National Day is October 1st – established by the Government in 1949 to celebrate the founding of the People’s Republic of China. This kicks off 「Golden Week」 in China – October 1 to October 7, but is of much less significance in Hong Kong. Similar to the Chinese New Year holiday the majority of the mainland Chinese population tends to travel during this period, so it is wise to book holidays in advance if you have business travel over this period.

Festivals in China are elaborate and vibrant affairs. Take part in a decorated dragon boat racing during the Duan Wu Festival, watch impressive firework displays at Chinese New Year, or sample various moon cakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival – Chinese festivals are a time to be with families and friends.

Lantern Festival

Ching Ming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day)

Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu day of Right mid-day)

Mid-Autumn Festival

Feng Shui

Decisions on the design of buildings and even on where to place your bed in your apartment are made based on the ancient Chinese geomancer’s art of feng shui. The principles of feng shui, which literally means wind and water, are an intrinsic part of doing business in Hong Kong.

A feng shui master is consulted to determine the site of a building, the arrangement of furniture, the opening of an office, or the selection of a wedding date. The most auspicious dates and physical settings are those in harmony with the elemental forces of the earth.

General Customs

It is polite to use both hands when you give or receive anything: a business card, a gift, or even a borrowed pen.

With Chinese names, the surname comes first: for example, Wong Sun Ting is referred to as Mr. Wong. If he were to use an English name, it would be written as follows: Sun-ting Wong.

Avoid losing your temper. It is considered loss of face to lose control of one’s emotions.

Chinese are more formal than Americans and avoid direct body contact other than shaking hands. Disagreeing with someone is considered impolite. Chinese often will give the impression of agreement even when they may internally disagree.