Teachers' Day

Teachers’ Day in most parts of China falls on September 10, when students present gifts such as cards and flowers to show their respect. The tradition lasted no more than 25 years on the Chinese mainland where teachers experienced severe discrimination during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976).

In 1985, the ninth plenary meeting of the standing committee of the sixth National People’s Congress (NPC) decided to make September 10 Teachers’ Day. That ended a 34-year drought when teachers had no day to mark their devotion.

The earliest modern Teachers’ Day began in 1932, when the Kuomintang government chose June 6. Yet the day was cancelled in 1951, two years after the founding of People’s Republic of China; later the government merged it with Labor Day on May 1.

The world celebrates Teachers’ Day on October 5, chosen by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1994.