Renri, the birthday of mankind, is traditionally observed on the seventh day of Chinese New Year.
Renri means “Human Day” or “People’s Day” and falls on the seventh day of the first month in the traditional Chinese calendar. Chinese creation mythology explains the date through the goddess Nüwa: she is said to have created different creatures on successive days, making human beings on the seventh.
Older accounts list the first days as birthdays of animals such as the chicken, dog, pig, sheep, cow, and horse, with humans assigned to the seventh day. This sequence helped establish the day’s special status and encouraged customs against harming people or punishing prisoners during the observance.
Historical celebrations included wearing rensheng ornaments, climbing mountains, composing poetry, and preparing foods such as seven-vegetable soup or congee. In Malaysia and Singapore, yusheng may also be eaten around Renri, although the salad is now served throughout the Lunar New Year period. Renri should not be confused with the Japanese January 7 festival Jinjitsu, which developed from the same broader tradition but follows the solar calendar.