Hanyi Festival (Winter Clothes Day) falls on Monday, November 9, 2026. Its origins, customs, and how to honor your ancestors when you live abroad.
TL;DR: Hanyi Festival, also called Winter Clothes Day, falls on Monday, November 9, 2026, the first day of the tenth lunar month. Families burn paper clothing, joss paper and ingots so that departed relatives are warm through the coming winter. Together with Qingming and the Ghost Festival, it is one of the main days for honoring ancestors in Chinese tradition.
When is Hanyi Festival in 2026?
Hanyi Festival is fixed on the lunar calendar, so its Gregorian date changes every year. In 2026 it falls on Monday, November 9.
- Hanyi Festival 2026: Monday, November 9 (1st day, 10th lunar month)
- Xiayuan Festival 2026: November 23 (15th day, 10th lunar month)
- Winter Solstice (Dongzhi) 2026: Tuesday, December 22
In Chinese it is known as 寒衣节 (hán yī jié), literally "cold clothes festival", and also as 十月朝 or 祭祖节, the ancestor festival.
Where does Hanyi Festival come from?
By the tenth lunar month the weather in northern China turns cold, and households traditionally prepared winter clothing at this time. The same care was extended to relatives who had passed away: families burned paper clothes so that ancestors, too, would be ready for winter. This is the custom of "sending winter clothes".
A popular folk legend links the day to Meng Jiangnu, who is said to have travelled a great distance to bring winter clothes to her husband, a labourer on the Great Wall, only to learn that he had died. Whatever its historical basis, the heart of the festival is simple: the weather is turning cold, so we send our loved ones something warm.
How is Hanyi Festival observed?
- Burning paper clothes: paper garments, hats, shoes and quilts are burned for ancestors.
- Burning joss paper and ingots: as at Qingming and the Ghost Festival, families burn spirit money and folded gold and silver paper ingots.
- Visiting graves: where possible, families tidy the grave and make offerings.
- Addressing the offering: the paper package is marked with the ancestor's name and the name of the person making the offering. See our guide to joss paper and how to address the package.
Customs vary widely by region. Hanyi Festival is observed most strongly in northern China, while many families in southern China and overseas place more weight on Qingming and the Ghost Festival. There is no single correct way; following your family's own tradition is what matters.
What if you live far from home?
Many people who live abroad cannot visit a family grave. The usual options are to burn offerings yourself where local rules allow it, to join a ceremony at a Chinese temple nearby, or to have someone make the offering on your behalf. We compare these in How to make joss paper offerings for ancestors when you live abroad.
Merit Messenger offers an ancestral offering service in Bangkok. Our team writes your ancestor's name and your own name on a sealed package, brings it before the Buddha at Wat Mangkon Kamalawat (the Dragon Lotus Temple) in Bangkok's Chinatown for recitation, then burns it at a designated site nearby, and sends you video of both steps. For Hanyi Festival 2026 you can book the offering for November 9 itself at checkout; bookings close on November 8 (Bangkok time).
FAQ
Q: What date is Hanyi Festival in 2026?
A: Monday, November 9, 2026, the first day of the tenth lunar month.
Q: How is it different from the Ghost Festival?
A: The Ghost Festival falls on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month; Hanyi Festival on the 1st day of the tenth. Both honor ancestors, but Hanyi Festival is specifically about sending warm clothing for winter.
Q: Do offerings have to be made on the day itself?
A: Traditionally they are made on the day or in the days just before it. Many families consider it fine as long as the offering is made before the festival.
Q: Can I observe Hanyi Festival if I live abroad?
A: Yes. You can burn offerings where it is permitted, attend a Chinese temple, or arrange an offering on your behalf. The intention is what counts.
Last updated: September 2026 | Written by the Merit Messenger team, based in Bangkok
Want to send something warm to your ancestors this Hanyi Festival? See our ancestral offering service or contact us.
