Festivities of Spring: Celebrating China's Labor Day

World
Europe

02:21

And, during China's Labor Day holiday, widely referred to as "Wu yi" in Chinese or May Day in English, the festivities are rather different from the traditional European celebrations of springtime. Take a look.

China's May Day is one of three public holidays not derived from the country's traditional lunar calendar. The day off usually merges with the adjacent weekend to form a three-day break. Most people will head outdoors and enjoy the balmy spring air. Across the country, parks and scenic spots are filled with tourists.

Labor Day was made a public holiday shortly after the founding of the People's Republic of China, and was first celebrated in 1950. It has become an occasion to honor hard work and diligence with the nation's highest medals and awards. And in recent years, there's been a greater emphasis on enterprise and innovation.

Over the decades, choral music competitions have become a tradition. Young and old alike would deck out in their finest and sing of their pride in their work and love for the country. The festivities involve the entire working population. People from the manufacturing and service sectors hold contests. And in the countryside, people often rope in farm animals to add to the gaiety.

Like in most countries, China's Labor Day is synonymous with International Workers' Day, which came from the eight-hour day movement in the late 19th century. It originated in Chicago in the United States, as an occasion to commemorate the Haymarket affair in 1886.

While the US and Canada celebrate their Labor Day in September, most countries celebrate their Labor Day in early May like China. From Moscow to Mogadishu, public parades are held as a display of pride and solidarity. The festivities are felt even under the autumn sky in the Andean Mountain Range, the planet's southern hemisphere.