Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival (chunjie) falls on Saturday, February 5, 2000. Banks, post offices and other governmental offices will be closed the weekend of February 5-6. The national holiday officially starts Friday, February 4 (New Year's Eve), when most Beijingers will begin heading home. It ends Saturday, February 12. Public transport will continue uninterrupted.

Most large stores will stay open over the holiday period, although some may have shorter business hours. When in doubt, call before heading out.

Happy Year of the Dragon!