Henan Festivals And Activities

Henan Province (河南省) has one of China’s most historically layered festival calendars. Its celebrations are closely connected with ancestral worship, traditional temple fairs, folk storytelling, opera, martial arts, flower appreciation, Yellow River culture, agriculture and the heritage of China’s ancient capitals.

The province’s best-known events range from the Huangdi Hometown Ancestor Worship Ceremony (黄帝故里拜祖大典) in Xinzheng and the Luoyang Peony Culture Festival (中国洛阳牡丹文化节) to the Majie Storytelling Fair (马街书会), Junxian Ancient Temple Fair (浚县正月古庙会) and Taihao Fuxi Temple Fair (太昊伏羲陵庙会). These events represent several of Henan’s most influential intangible-cultural-heritage traditions.

Henan’s modern festival system also includes international martial-arts competitions, aviation-sports events, tea fairs, food exhibitions, medical-culture forums and tourism festivals. Some are annual, while others are held every two years or according to an independently announced schedule. Travellers should therefore distinguish between a fixed folk festival, a regular annual event and a periodic conference or competition.

The Main Characteristics of Henan Festival Culture

Ancestor Worship and Root-Seeking Culture

Henan’s position at the centre of early Chinese civilisation has created a strong tradition of ancestor worship and cultural root-seeking. The most important examples are the Huangdi ceremony in Xinzheng (新郑), the Fuxi worship tradition in Huaiyang (淮阳), the Laozi-related celebrations in Luyi (鹿邑) and surname-based ceremonies in Puyang (濮阳).

The Huangdi ceremony takes place on the third day of the third lunar month. In 2026, it was held on 19 April and brought together participants from China and overseas for nine ceremonial stages. The worship tradition was included in the national intangible-cultural-heritage system in 2008.

The Taihao Fuxi Temple Fair normally runs from the second day of the second lunar month until the third day of the third lunar month. It combines formal worship with folk crafts, performances, pilgrimage and the sale of symbolic objects such as Nini Dog clay figures (泥泥狗).

Temple Fairs and Traditional Folk Performance

Henan’s winter and early-spring calendar is dominated by temple fairs, shehuo processions, lanterns, opera, acrobatics and folk storytelling.

The Majie Storytelling Fair in Baofeng County (宝丰县) is held around the thirteenth day of the first lunar month. Storytellers and folk performers gather in an open-air setting to perform Henan Zhuizi, drum storytelling, clapper talk, ballads and regional narrative arts. The fair entered the first national intangible-cultural-heritage list in 2006.

The Junxian Ancient Temple Fair extends through much of the first lunar month and traditionally concludes around the second day of the second lunar month. It combines pilgrimage to Dapi Mountain (大伾山), large-scale folk processions, stilt walking, land boats, lion dances, opera, clay whistles and lantern displays. Modern festival programmes often begin before Lunar New Year and continue for more than a month.

Flower Festivals and Seasonal Landscapes

Spring and autumn are Henan’s main flower-festival seasons.

The Luoyang Peony Culture Festival is the province’s most internationally recognised flower event. The 43rd festival was held from 1 to 30 April 2026, with peony gardens, cultural performances, night tourism, exhibitions and commercial activities throughout Luoyang.

Kaifeng’s Chrysanthemum Culture Festival normally begins in mid-October and continues into November. The 43rd edition ran from 18 October to 17 November 2025, providing a reliable planning reference for the usual festival period, although the 2026 dates still require official confirmation.

Nanyang (南阳) uses the blooming season of the Chinese rose to organise exhibitions, cultural performances and flower-themed routes, while Xinyang (信阳) links the spring tea harvest with tea picking, processing demonstrations, competitions and tourism programmes.

Martial Arts, Sports and Tourism Festivals

Henan is closely associated with both Shaolin Kung Fu (少林功夫) and Taijiquan (太极拳).

The Zhengzhou International Shaolin Wushu Festival is a large international martial-arts and cultural-exchange event. The 13th edition was held in October 2024 with athletes from 56 countries and regions. The festival is not necessarily held every year, so travellers should wait for confirmation of the next edition before organising an itinerary around it.

Jiaozuo (焦作) and Chenjiagou Village (陈家沟) organise Taijiquan competitions, exhibitions and cultural activities. The 12th China Jiaozuo International Taijiquan Competition and the 2025 Yuntai Mountain Tourism Festival took place in September 2025. The main international competition has traditionally followed a periodic rather than strictly annual schedule.

Dragon-boat activities have also expanded throughout Henan. During the 2026 Dragon Boat Festival holiday, races and related events were held in Xinxiang, Puyang, Zhoukou, Xinyang and Nanyang, combining local water traditions with modern sports tourism.

Cultural Exhibitions and Trade Events

Several major Henan events combine culture, industry, exhibitions and tourism.

The China Xinyang Tea Culture Festival (中国信阳茶文化节) opened its 34th edition on 28 April 2026, with tea exhibitions, industry meetings, competitions and cultural activities.

The China Luohe Food Expo (中国漯河食品博览会) is one of the province’s major food-industry exhibitions. Its 23rd edition opened on 20 April 2026. Although primarily a professional trade event, it also provides opportunities to experience Henan food brands and industrial tourism.

The China Agricultural Products Processing Investment and Trade Fair in Zhumadian (驻马店) is another large professional exhibition. It brings together agricultural products, regional foods, investment projects and commercial exhibitions, but dates may move from September to late autumn depending on the edition.

Henan Festivals in Spring

Spring is the richest festival season in Henan. Lunar New Year temple fairs often continue into March, after which peonies, tea, ancestor-worship ceremonies and cultural festivals take over.

The strongest spring combination is:

Kaifeng – Zhengzhou – Luoyang – Xinyang

Visitors can experience Song Dynasty-style Spring Festival events in Kaifeng, attend the Huangdi ceremony in Xinzheng, view peonies in Luoyang and continue south for the Xinyang spring tea season.

April is particularly busy. The Luoyang Peony Culture Festival, Huangdi ceremony, Xinyang Tea Culture Festival, Luohe Food Expo, Nanyang rose season and several city-level cultural events may overlap.

Hotels and high-speed train tickets should be reserved early for Luoyang during the main peony-blooming period.

Henan Festivals in Summer

Summer programmes focus on water activities, mountain tourism, folk arts and night-time cultural experiences.

The Dragon Boat Festival is the most important early-summer event. Activities may include dragon-boat races, incense sachet making, zongzi workshops, intangible-heritage markets and historical performances. In 2026, major races were reported in Puyang, Zhoukou, Xinxiang, Xinyang and Nanyang.

Mountain destinations such as Yuntai Mountain (云台山), Jigong Mountain (鸡公山), South Taihang (南太行), Laojun Mountain (老君山) and Wangwu Mountain (王屋山) organise summer tourism seasons, music performances, outdoor sports and family programmes. These are usually scenic-area event series rather than festivals with the same dates and content every year.

Summer in central and eastern Henan can be hot and humid. Outdoor festival programmes are more comfortable early in the morning or after sunset.

Henan Festivals in Autumn

Autumn is the main period for chrysanthemums, martial arts, aviation, harvest activities, cultural conferences and trade fairs.

Kaifeng’s Chrysanthemum Culture Festival is the strongest general tourism event of the season. The displays extend beyond Longting Park (龙亭公园) to major historic attractions, streets and public spaces.

Anyang’s Aviation Sports Culture Tourism Festival is usually organised in September or early autumn. The 17th edition opened on 26 September 2025 and included aviation displays, low-altitude technology, cultural tourism and public activities.

The International Chinese Character Conference in Anyang brings together scholars, museums, cultural institutions and international participants around oracle-bone inscriptions and the development of Chinese writing. Its schedule is independently announced rather than fixed to one permanent annual date.

The Double Ninth Festival is especially significant in Shangcai County (上蔡县), where traditions include climbing, autumn appreciation, respect for older people and community cultural activities. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism organised a community-based Shangcai Double Ninth customs programme in October 2025.

Henan Festivals in Winter

Winter is the preparation period for Henan’s largest folk season: Chinese New Year.

From the twelfth lunar month onward, Kaifeng, Junxian, Huaiyang, Shangqiu and many scenic areas begin organising lantern displays, temple fairs, folk markets, opera performances, shehuo processions and intangible-heritage demonstrations.

Kaifeng’s Great Song Chinese New Year (大宋中国年) programme presents palace ceremonies, street performances and Song Dynasty-style entertainment. The 2026 programme included more than 60 activities organised under seven major themes.

Winter is also suitable for indoor performances, museums, food tours and hot-spring travel. Mountain events may be affected by snow, ice and temporary road or cableway closures.

Minority and Intercultural Festivals in Henan

Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha

Henan has long-established Hui Muslim communities, mosques and halal-food districts. Eid al-Fitr (开斋节) and Eid al-Adha (古尔邦节) are the most important Islamic celebrations observed by Muslim families and religious communities.

Eid al-Fitr takes place on the first day of the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, while Eid al-Adha begins on the tenth day of the twelfth Islamic month. Their Gregorian dates move earlier by approximately ten or eleven days each year and may vary slightly according to religious calendar confirmation.

Visitors should understand that these are religious and family occasions rather than staged tourism festivals. Enter a mosque only where visitors are permitted, dress modestly, avoid interrupting prayer and ask before photographing worshippers.

Halal restaurants may change their opening hours during Ramadan and on the morning of Eid.

Yu–Xin Community Kinship Tradition

The Yu–Xin Community Kinship Tradition (邘新社亲) connects the predominantly Han community of Yutai Village (邘邰村) and the Hui community of Daxinzhuang Village (大新庄村) in Qinyang (沁阳).

The relationship has continued for more than five centuries and includes mutual visits, performance exchanges and festival hospitality. It was included in Henan’s provincial intangible-cultural-heritage system in 2015.

Important occasions include Spring Festival and the traditional fair on the eighteenth day of the fourth lunar month. These activities illustrate long-term cultural exchange and neighbourhood solidarity rather than a commercial ethnic show.

Recommended Henan Festival Routes

Five-Day Spring Festival and Ancestor-Worship Route

Route: Zhengzhou – Xinzheng – Luoyang – Kaifeng

Day 1: Zhengzhou museums and city culture
Day 2: Huangdi Hometown in Xinzheng
Day 3: Luoyang peony gardens and ancient-city night tour
Day 4: Longmen Grottoes or White Horse Temple
Day 5: Kaifeng Song Dynasty attractions and night performances

Schedule the route according to the confirmed Huangdi ceremony and peony-blooming forecast.

Six-Day Traditional Temple Fair Route

Route: Zhengzhou – Baofeng – Junxian – Huaiyang – Kaifeng

The programme connects the Majie Storytelling Fair, Junxian Ancient Temple Fair, Taihao Fuxi Temple Fair and Kaifeng Spring Festival activities.

Because all three traditional fairs follow the lunar calendar, they do not always reach their principal activity days within the same week.

Five-Day Autumn Flower and Heritage Route

Route: Zhengzhou – Kaifeng – Anyang – Hebi

The journey combines the Kaifeng Chrysanthemum Culture Festival, Anyang museums, oracle-bone culture, aviation events when scheduled and the historic towns of northern Henan.

Five-Day Martial-Arts Festival Route

Route: Zhengzhou – Dengfeng – Jiaozuo – Chenjiagou – Yuntai Mountain

This route combines Shaolin Kung Fu with Chen-style Taijiquan. It works best when the Zhengzhou International Shaolin Wushu Festival or Jiaozuo International Taijiquan Competition has a confirmed edition.

Four-Day Tea and Southern Henan Route

Route: Zhengzhou – Xinyang – Shihe Tea Region – Jigong Mountain

The route is best during the Xinyang Tea Culture Festival and spring tea harvest in late April or early May.

Festival Travel Tips

Confirm the Current Edition

Large events may change dates, venues, scale or frequency. This is especially important for the Shaolin Wushu Festival, Jiaozuo International Taijiquan Competition, International Chinese Character Conference, Yangshao Culture Festival and Zhang Zhongjing Medicine Culture Festival.

As of 1 August 2026, several autumn and winter 2026 schedules had not yet been formally announced.

Understand Lunar Dates

Majie Storytelling Fair, Junxian Ancient Temple Fair, Taihao Fuxi Temple Fair, Huangdi Ancestor Worship Ceremony and Shangcai Double Ninth customs follow the Chinese lunar calendar.

Their Gregorian dates change each year. Do not reuse the previous year’s calendar dates.

Reserve Transport Early

Luoyang becomes extremely busy during the main peony season. Kaifeng is crowded during Spring Festival and the chrysanthemum season, while Junxian and Huaiyang experience heavy traffic on principal temple-fair days.

Use high-speed rail where possible and arrange county-level transfers in advance.

Choose the Main Activity Day Carefully

Many festivals last for several weeks, but their largest processions, ceremonies or performances take place on one or two specific dates.

For example, the full Junxian season is long, while the largest shehuo processions occur on selected days. The Huaiyang fair also extends over a month, but visitor numbers rise sharply around major worship dates.

Respect Ceremonies and Local Customs

Formal ancestor worship, mosque celebrations, temple rituals and village traditions should not be treated only as photo opportunities.

Follow crowd-control barriers, avoid interrupting ceremonies and ask permission before photographing religious participants, village residents or performers preparing backstage.

Prepare for Crowds

Traditional fairs can attract very large numbers of visitors. Keep valuables secure, agree on a meeting point with companions and avoid bringing large suitcases into processional streets.

Families with young children and travellers with limited mobility should avoid the busiest procession hours.

Check Weather and Air Quality

Early-spring temple fairs can be cold and windy, while April flower festivals may experience rain or rapid temperature changes.

Summer dragon-boat events are exposed to heat, thunderstorms and high humidity. Autumn evenings in Kaifeng, Anyang and mountain areas can become cold.

Major Henan Festivals and Events Table

The following table lists Henan’s main recurring festivals, cultural events, fairs and tourism seasons. It does not include every temporary shopping promotion, scenic-area performance or village event, since hundreds of short-term activities are announced each year.

Festival Tours with Yaso Trip

Yaso Trip organises customised Henan festival tours for international visitors, families, photographers, Muslim travellers, student groups, researchers and cultural delegations.

Festival programmes can include:

• Huangdi Hometown ancestor-worship tours
• Luoyang Peony Culture Festival itineraries
• Kaifeng Chrysanthemum and Song Dynasty cultural tours
• Majie Storytelling Fair and traditional folk-art tours
• Junxian Ancient Temple Fair and shehuo photography tours
• Taihao Fuxi Temple Fair and Chinese root-seeking journeys
• Shaolin Kung Fu festival and training programmes
• Jiaozuo Taijiquan competitions and Chenjiagou visits
• Xinyang tea-picking and tea-culture tours
• Anyang oracle-bone and Chinese-character events
• Halal meals and Muslim-friendly travel arrangements
• Private vehicles, English-speaking guides and festival reservations

Recommended programmes include:

5-Day Luoyang Peony and Ancient Capital Festival Tour

5-Day Huangdi Ancestor Worship and Central Plains Heritage Tour

6-Day Henan Traditional Temple Fair and Folk Art Tour

5-Day Kaifeng Chrysanthemum and Song Culture Tour

6-Day Shaolin Kung Fu and Taijiquan Culture Tour

4-Day Xinyang Tea Culture and Dabie Mountains Tour

8-Day Complete Henan Festivals and Intangible Heritage Tour

Henan’s most rewarding festival journeys are built around one principal ceremony or festival, supported by nearby museums, historic cities, local food and intangible-heritage experiences. This approach provides a deeper understanding of the traditions rather than turning the trip into a rushed sequence of crowded events.