The Chinese New Year is undoubtedly the most important festival for Chinese people. Although the celebrations vary from place to place, people from almost every corner of the country, as well as many Chinese people overseas, spend the evening watching Chunwan, the Spring Festival Gala produced by China Central Television (CCTV, CMG). It is one of the premier television events on China's entertainment calendar.
For many Chinese, the term Spring Festival Gala creates a magical feeling. It triggers nostalgic memories of when family members gathered around their TV sets with snacks, ready to catch every moment of the spectacular performances on Chinese New Year's Eve.
The tradition began in 1983 when the first annual Chinese New Year Celebration Evening Gala was held. The show featured song-and-dance performances by artists selected from around the country. Audiences could even phone in to request their favourite song. And every year since then at the turn of the Chinese New Year, the program has begun at 8pm, lasting until the early morning of the New Year.
In 1984, comedy sketches and skits were added to the line-up, becoming a key part of the gala. The performances usually resonate with the most topical issues in people's work and life over the past year, such as family and school life, with audiences finding it both amusing and inspiring. With a mix of comedy acts, songs and dance, acrobatic and magic, the Spring Festival Gala represents the highest level of entertainment by top-notch performers, who are selected through many rounds of auditions.
Before and after the Spring Festival Gala every year, all kinds of discussions about the program become a trending cultural event. The gala has sent several artists into stardom in the past few decades, and many have come back for repeat appearances once they have become household names.
As technology advances, the stage expands as well. In recent years, segments of the show have been performed in and broadcast from sub-venues scattered around the country. The show is a great opportunity to understand what people's experiences in China in the past year, and its evolution is in many ways representative of China's wider technological growth and social development.
Now almost four decades since its inception, Chunwan has grown into something more than just a television show. It represents a nationally shared experience, a collective memory. Over 40 years from now, it may look completely different from what we're experiencing today. But one thing's for sure: as long as the festival continues, the show goes on.