Taiwan set Buddha’s Birthday on the second Sunday of May in 1999.
The decision aligned Taiwan’s official observance of Sakyamuni Buddha’s birthday with Mother’s Day, which is already celebrated on the second Sunday of May. The arrangement also connects with the Buddhist tradition of “washing the Buddha,” a ritual in which devotees pour fragrant water over a statue of the infant Buddha.
Traditionally, Buddha’s Birthday in Taiwan follows the eighth day of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. Because that date moves against the Gregorian calendar, it can fall on different days in April or May. The government’s 1999 decision created a fixed Sunday observance for the national commemoration, although some Buddhist communities may still emphasize the traditional lunar date.
A common mix-up is to assume that all Buddhist communities celebrate Buddha’s Birthday on the same day. Practices vary widely: Vesak is often tied to a full moon in South and Southeast Asia, while many East Asian traditions use the fourth lunar month. Taiwan’s second-Sunday observance is therefore a local calendar choice, not a universal Buddhist rule.