Observance guideSource-backed

Anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China2026 · Date · History

Current Chinese official sources mark July 1 as the CPC founding anniversary; Shanghai Archives explains that July 1 is a symbolic anniversary fixed in 1941 while the First CPC National Congress opened on July 23, 1921.

Annual dateReviewed 2026-09-28Sensitive topic

About Anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China

The anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is observed on July 1.

Current Chinese official sources mark July 1 as the Party founding anniversary, while an official Shanghai archival account explains that the First CPC National Congress actually opened on July 23, 1921.

Why Anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China matters

July 1 functions as the CPC’s established symbolic founding anniversary rather than the documented opening date of the First National Congress.

This guide treats the date as a political-historical observance and separates verifiable chronology from evaluative claims about the Party or modern Chinese politics.

History of Anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China

The First CPC National Congress opened in Shanghai on July 23, 1921 and later concluded after moving to Jiaxing, according to the Shanghai Archives account.

The same archival account says that in 1938, when the exact congress date was not yet known, Mao Zedong, Dong Biwu and other participants in Yan’an used July 1 symbolically for the Party’s birth anniversary.

In June 1941, a Central Committee instruction formally confirmed July 1 as the recurring founding anniversary; later historical research established July 23, 1921 as the congress opening date without changing the July 1 commemorative date.

Origins & establishment

What the evidence establishes

Evidence & sources ↓

Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.

Proclaiming / establishing bodyCentral Committee of the Communist Party of ChinaShanghai Archives reports that a Central Committee instruction in June 1941 formally confirmed July 1 as the Party founding anniversary and called for commemorative activity.

Original establishing instrument / decisionJune 1941 Central Committee instruction on the CPC’s 20th anniversary and the fourth anniversary of the War of ResistanceShanghai Archives identifies this 1941 central document as the first formal confirmation of July 1 as the Party’s birth anniversary.

Original instrument adoption / decision dateJune 1941The reviewed official archival account dates the instruction to June 1941 but does not provide a more specific day in the cited passage.

Why this exact date?July 1 was selected symbolically in 1938 when the exact July 1921 congress opening date was not known to participants in Yan’an; a 1941 Central Committee instruction then fixed July 1 as the recurring founding anniversary.Shanghai Archives explicitly distinguishes the symbolic July 1 anniversary from the historically established First Congress opening on 23 July 1921.

5 fields not established in reviewed sources

Originator / proposerThe archival account describes a 1938 discussion among First Congress participants but does not support reducing the recurring observance to one verified original proposer.

Current facilitator / coordinatorCurrent official observance is well established, but no single exclusive universal facilitator is inferred.

First observanceThe archival account documents 1938 anniversary activity and the symbolic date choice but does not establish the first-ever recurring observance with enough precision for this field.

Former nameNo verified former recurring name is established in the reviewed sources.

Former dateNo verified former recurring anniversary date is established; July 23 is the documented congress opening date, not a former recurring anniversary date.

Source qualityHigh confidence

2 Primary institutional / legal

View all sources ↓

Names

Also known as

CPC Founding Day

How to Observe Anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China

Read primary or institutional historical material about the First National Congress and the later development of the July 1 anniversary.

Keep the symbolic anniversary date separate from the documented July 23, 1921 congress opening date when writing timelines.

Compare political or historical interpretations across reputable sources rather than treating commemorative statements as neutral analysis.

When discussing current ceremonies, attribute claims and viewpoints to the institution or speaker that made them.

Anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China Facts

Fact 01

The CPC founding anniversary is observed on July 1.

Fact 02

The First CPC National Congress opened on July 23, 1921.

Fact 03

An official Shanghai archival account says July 1 was adopted symbolically in 1938 because the exact congress opening date was not then known.

Fact 04

A June 1941 Central Committee instruction formally confirmed July 1 as the recurring anniversary date.

Fact 05

The July 1 anniversary date and the July 23 historical congress date are therefore not the same thing.

Classification

Topic and context

Civic, Remembrance & History →

Civic, Remembrance & History Civic Public Life

Accuracy notes

What this page does not assume

Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Remembrance Civic Context Care.

Evidence

Evidence & sources

Source policy →

Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.

Source 01

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China — 2026 founding-anniversary observance

Primary institutional / legal

Source 02

Shanghai Archives — archival history of the First CPC National Congress and July 1 anniversary

Primary institutional / legal

Source 03www.mfa.gov.cn

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China — CPC founding anniversary 2026 (opens in a new tab)

Observance recordGuide sources

Official Government Party Observance

Source 04www.shda.gov.cn

Shanghai Archives — First CPC National Congress and July 1 anniversary history (opens in a new tab)

Observance recordGuide sources

Official Government Archive

Questions & connections

Understand it, compare it, then explore further

Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.

Reader questions

Frequently asked questions

When is Anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China?

1 July The documented recurrence rule is: 1 July.

Does Anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China fall on the same date every year?

Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.

Is Anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China an official public holiday?

The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: China / Communist Party of China founding-anniversary observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.

Who established or recognizes Anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China?

The reviewed sources identify Central Committee of the Communist Party of China as the proclaiming or establishing body.

Is Anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China international or country-specific?

This observance is specific to China. Its fuller verified scope is: China / Communist Party of China founding-anniversary observance.

How is this page verified?

The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-28.

When is the CPC founding anniversary?

It is observed on July 1.

Was the Communist Party of China founded on July 1, 1921?

The established anniversary is July 1, but the official Shanghai archival account identifies July 23, 1921 as the opening date of the First CPC National Congress.

Why is the anniversary on July 1?

The Shanghai Archives account says July 1 was selected symbolically in 1938 when the exact congress date was not yet known, and a 1941 Central Committee instruction formally fixed the anniversary.

Is this page taking a political position?

No. It records the date and documented historical development of the anniversary without endorsing political actors or ideological claims.

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