Refer China: Want an 11-Day Holiday? Cities Pilot "Spring & Autumn Vacations"

NEWS

Want an 11-Day Holiday? Cities Pilot "Spring and Autumn Vacations"

Recently, nine Chinese government departments issued a joint policy titled "Measures to Expand Service Consumption", outlining 19 initiatives in five key areas. One notable highlight: the encouragement of local governments to optimize school holiday arrangements. Without increasing the total number of holidays or reducing teaching hours, regions are urged to adjust school schedules based on climate, production cycles, and workers' paid leave systems.

Check our latest video on China Visa and foreign-related knowledge!

Follow our channel for updates 👇

The goal? Explore setting spring and autumn breaks in primary and secondary schools—shortening the long winter and summer holidays in exchange for more opportunities for family travel and service consumption.

Spring and Autumn Breaks—New for Shanghai Students?

Though not a brand-new concept, spring and autumn breaks used to be common, especially in rural schools, during farming seasons. These were later phased out with the introduction of the standard two-day weekend system. However, frustrations with peak travel during long holidays like National Day and May Day—overcrowded tourist spots, difficult train bookings, and fatigue from adjusted workdays—have reignited calls for more flexible vacations.

In fact, support has been steadily growing. A survey once showed that 71.3% of respondents backed the idea of spring vacations in schools.

Government encouragement isn't new either. As early as 2013, the National Tourism and Leisure Outline (2013–2020) suggested local governments could explore spring or autumn breaks. Similar support was reiterated in 2014 and 2019. In 2020, China's Ministry of Education stated that as long as national curriculum requirements are met, regions and schools can decide their own holiday structures—including spring and autumn breaks.

Yet, despite the policy flexibility, adoption has been limited—most provinces still lack clear and unified regulations for these breaks.

The Trend Gains Momentum in 2024

Since August 2024, several regions such as Foshan (Guangdong), Zhoushan (Zhejiang), and Enshi (Hubei) have announced trials or implementations of spring and autumn holidays for schools.

On social media, posts went viral claiming Nanjing students may enjoy a special "autumn break" from September 28–30, resulting in an enviable 11-day National Day vacation when combined with the standard holiday.

However, on September 15, an official from Nanjing's Education Bureau told reporters that no official announcement has been made regarding autumn holidays yet. Any updates would be published via official channels, and parents are encouraged to stay informed.

Other cities, including Suzhou and Changzhou, confirmed they've yet to receive guidance on implementing autumn breaks.

Still, there's policy momentum. A document released by Jiangsu Province's government in May 2025 emphasized encouraging qualified regions to trial three-day spring and autumn holidays around May Day and National Day.

Source: 上观新闻