Chunwan performances all ready to go

The China Media Group (CMG), the country's flagship broadcaster, completed the fifth and final rehearsal of the highly anticipated Spring Festival Gala on Saturday.

A variety of performances were presented, including creative shows, songs and dances, acrobatics, operas, martial arts, sketches and magic tricks, creating a vibrant and festive atmosphere.

During the rehearsal, the coordination was impeccably smooth between the main venue in Beijing and four sub-venues, Harbin in northeast China's Heilongjiang, Yiwu in Zhejiang Province and Hefei in Anhui Province, both in east China, and Yibin in Sichuan Province in southwest China. Each of the sub-venues showcased its unique festive traditions and distinctive cultural heritage.

The gala, set to be aired on Chinese New Year's Eve on February 16 this year, will combine traditional Chinese culture with modern stagecraft, as well as cross-cultural performances featuring international artists.

Commonly known as "Chunwan" in Chinese, the gala has been broadcast live every Chinese New Year's Eve since 1983 and has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the most-watched annual television program on the planet.

Just over a year ago, the Spring Festival itself was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.