| International Workers' Day, also called Labor Day or 国际劳动节 (guójì láodòngjié) in Chinese, is an international holiday that is generally celebrated on May 1st each year in over 80 countries worldwide. It celebrates the achievements of the workers of the world. Since this holiday is also celebrated on May 1st in China, it is sometimes referred to as 五一节 (wǔ yī jié) or simply 五一 (wǔ yī) in Chinese, an alternative name which is frequently translated into English as “May Day.”  The origins of International Workers' Day began in the United States in 1886 when workers across the country walked out of their jobs in protest of long working hours, demanding an eight-hour day. The first Labor Day activity in China is said to have been held on May 1, 1920. Then, between 1921 and 1922, activists established centers to educate ordinary workers, organized unions, and pushed for better conditions for everyday industrial workers. Just a month after the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Government Administration Council of the Central People's officially declared May 1st to be Labor Day. Labor Day was originally a one-day holiday in China, but it has since gone through many different changes. In 1999, the Chinese State Council decided to increase the duration of Labor Day and make it part of a “Golden Week” triad, meaning that it would be a seven-day holiday, along with Chinese New Year and National Day. However, in 2008, Labor Day was stripped of its “Golden Week” title and officially became a three-day holiday. However, in March 2019, China’s State Council once again announced that Labor Day 2019 would span a total of four days. Since 2020, the State Council stated that it would be a five-day holiday covering May 1st - 5th, suggesting that this longer holiday length may become a permanent fixture of Labor Day celebrations going forward. |
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