Qing Ming
The only national holiday in April is Qing Ming, which means "Tomb Sweeping Day" or "Pure Brightness Festival." This day changes year to year because it is associated with the Chinese lunar calendar, but it usually falls on the first weekend of April. Chinese families visit the tombs of their ancestors to clean the gravesites, pray to their ancestors, and make ritual offerings. Workers and students have one day off, typically a Monday, and so a long three-day weekend occurs. Travel during this period can get busy and prices will go up.
Water Splashing Festival
This weeklong festival is usually celebrated in mid-April by the Dai people, a Buddhist ethnic group celebrating New Year on the Dai calendar, in the southern China Yunnan province. The community splash water on each other as a blessing for good luck in the coming year. The festival includes dragon boat races, water splashing, gift exchanges, and fireworks. This event attracts about 1 million people every year from all over China. The influx of travelers contributes greatly to the development of the area.
Luoyang Peony Festival
This annual festival is very popular among Chinese tourists and peony enthusiasts the world over. Each year from mid-April to mid-May, China's national flower is in full bloom. Luoyang City is located in the west Henan Province in Central China. Besides seeing peonies, famous tourist attractions there include the White Horse Temple and Longmen Grottoes.
The Great Wall Marathon
This annual marathon near Beijing offers three distances of running lengths, full marathon, half marathon, and 10K. This race lets you run one of the modern-day Seven Wonders of the World, on the steps of ancient history, in what has been called one of the most challenging marathons on the planet. Buses depart from Beijing to the race location.
Shanghai Peach Blossom Festival
Beginning in March and continuing throughout April, the peach blossoms begin to bloom and tourists flock to the parks to take in the beauty. Nanhui Peach Blossom Village is the perfect place to escape the pressures of Shanghai’s urban bustle and within the Chinese-style garden you can take a boat out onto the river and enjoy waterside views of the peach blossoms.