China-Spring Festival Gala/Opening
Beijing, China - Feb 16, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of opening performance of 2026 China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala at main venue in Beijing
Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, northeast China - Feb 16, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
2. Various of performance in progress at sub-venue in Harbin
Hefei City, Anhui Province, east China - Feb 16, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
3. Various of performance in progress at sub-venue in Hefei
Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province, east China - Feb 16, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
4. Various of performance in progress at sub-venue in Yiwu
Yibin City, Sichuan Province, southwest China - Feb 16, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
5. Various of performance in progress at sub-venue in Yibin
Beijing, China - Feb 16, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
6. Various of performance in progress at main venue
7. Hosts, hostesses walking to center of stage
8. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Ren Luyu, host (starting with shot 7/partially overlaid with shot 9):
"Dear viewers, happy Chinese New Year to you all! This is the live broadcast of the China Media Group 2026 Spring Festival Gala. Together with people from all ethnic groups across the country, Chinese people all around the world, and our international friends, we gather here to welcome the arrival of the Year of the Horse!"
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
9. Hosts, hostesses greeting audience members
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
10. Hosts, hostesses, performers on stage
The 2026 Spring Festival Gala, an annual televised celebration hosted by the China Media Group (CMG), got underway at 20:00 Monday (Beijing Time) on the eve of the Chinese New Year, as families come together to ring in the Year of the Horse at midnight.
The hours-long gala features a carefully curated line-up of performances, including a host of stirring songs and dazzling dances, enchanting operas, comedic sketches, magic shows and a number of creative fusion performances, all of which highlighted the spirit of the new era, capturing the dynamic beauty of China's future.
In addition to the main stage in Beijing, four sub-venues have been set up across the country including Harbin, the provincial capital of Heilongjiang in northeast China known as the "ice city," Yiwu in east China's Zhejiang, which has been dubbed "the world's supermarket," Hefei, the provincial capital of the eastern Anhui Province which has emerged as a hub for sci-tech innovation, and Yibin in the southwestern Sichuan Province, known for its ancient architecture and picturesque scenery along the banks of the Yangtze River.
The tradition of taking the gala to new locations each year was first introduced in 2016 and each of the four sub-venues offers their own unique flair, creating an enchanting visual journey across China's varied landscapes and cultural traditions.
The 2026 Chinese New Year sees the arrival of the Year of the Horse, the seventh animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.
Themed "Galloping Steed, Onward Unstoppable," this year's gala draws on China's traditional culture and heavily incorporates the horse, a symbol of self-improvement and striving forward, into its creative design.
The CMG's artificial intelligence-generated content (AIGC) real-scene special effects technology is making its debut with its first innovative application as part of this year's show, highlighting China's technological advances.
The Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, is the most important traditional holiday for the Chinese people, and watching the Spring Festival Gala, also known as "Chunwan," on is a cherished part of the celebrations in hundreds of millions of Chinese homes.
Since first broadcast in 1983, the gala has been a cherished part of Chinese people's celebration of the Spring Festival. The gala recognized by Guinness World Records as the most-watched annual television program on the planet.
The Spring Festival itself was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024.
China-Spring Festival Gala/Opening
Dateline : Feb 16, 2026
Location : China
Duration : 3'21
Beijing, China - Feb 16, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of opening performance of 2026 China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala at main venue in Beijing
Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, northeast China - Feb 16, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
2. Various of performance in progress at sub-venue in Harbin
Hefei City, Anhui Province, east China - Feb 16, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
3. Various of performance in progress at sub-venue in Hefei
Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province, east China - Feb 16, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
4. Various of performance in progress at sub-venue in Yiwu
Yibin City, Sichuan Province, southwest China - Feb 16, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
5. Various of performance in progress at sub-venue in Yibin
Beijing, China - Feb 16, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
6. Various of performance in progress at main venue
7. Hosts, hostesses walking to center of stage
8. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Ren Luyu, host (starting with shot 7/partially overlaid with shot 9):
"Dear viewers, happy Chinese New Year to you all! This is the live broadcast of the China Media Group 2026 Spring Festival Gala. Together with people from all ethnic groups across the country, Chinese people all around the world, and our international friends, we gather here to welcome the arrival of the Year of the Horse!"
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
9. Hosts, hostesses greeting audience members
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
10. Hosts, hostesses, performers on stage
The 2026 Spring Festival Gala, an annual televised celebration hosted by the China Media Group (CMG), got underway at 20:00 Monday (Beijing Time) on the eve of the Chinese New Year, as families come together to ring in the Year of the Horse at midnight.
The hours-long gala features a carefully curated line-up of performances, including a host of stirring songs and dazzling dances, enchanting operas, comedic sketches, magic shows and a number of creative fusion performances, all of which highlighted the spirit of the new era, capturing the dynamic beauty of China's future.
In addition to the main stage in Beijing, four sub-venues have been set up across the country including Harbin, the provincial capital of Heilongjiang in northeast China known as the "ice city," Yiwu in east China's Zhejiang, which has been dubbed "the world's supermarket," Hefei, the provincial capital of the eastern Anhui Province which has emerged as a hub for sci-tech innovation, and Yibin in the southwestern Sichuan Province, known for its ancient architecture and picturesque scenery along the banks of the Yangtze River.
The tradition of taking the gala to new locations each year was first introduced in 2016 and each of the four sub-venues offers their own unique flair, creating an enchanting visual journey across China's varied landscapes and cultural traditions.
The 2026 Chinese New Year sees the arrival of the Year of the Horse, the seventh animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.
Themed "Galloping Steed, Onward Unstoppable," this year's gala draws on China's traditional culture and heavily incorporates the horse, a symbol of self-improvement and striving forward, into its creative design.
The CMG's artificial intelligence-generated content (AIGC) real-scene special effects technology is making its debut with its first innovative application as part of this year's show, highlighting China's technological advances.
The Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, is the most important traditional holiday for the Chinese people, and watching the Spring Festival Gala, also known as "Chunwan," on is a cherished part of the celebrations in hundreds of millions of Chinese homes.
Since first broadcast in 1983, the gala has been a cherished part of Chinese people's celebration of the Spring Festival. The gala recognized by Guinness World Records as the most-watched annual television program on the planet.
The Spring Festival itself was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024.
ID : 8466275
Published : 2026-02-16 20:34
Last Modified : 2026-02-16 22:00:05
Source : China Central Television (CCTV)
Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland
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