Annual spring gala goes into rehearsals

The first rehearsal for the CCTV Spring Festival gala was held on Sunday.

A showcase of creativity inspired by traditional Chinese culture, the annual gala focuses on stories about people and the country's beautiful landscapes.

The rehearsal included a range of performances from songs and dances, to traditional Chinese operas and comedy sketches, offering a foretaste of the annual show's festive atmosphere.

On Dec 4, UNESCO added Spring Festival social practices in celebration of the Chinese New Year to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

A key annual festival and cultural event, Spring Festival, which will fall on Jan 29 this year, is a time for family gatherings, with fireworks, red colored decorations, couplets, and traditions revolving around food, especially dumplings, all designed to ensure blessings for loved ones.

Many of these traditions have been passed down from generation to generation and are practiced by Chinese communities all over the world.

This will be the Year of the Snake, according to the Chinese zodiac, which is based on a 12-year cycle with each year represented by a different animal.

Spring Festival celebrations last for about two weeks, and end with the Lantern Festival, which will fall on Feb 12 this year.

The team behind this year's gala are incorporating snake elements, as well as intangible cultural heritage elements into stage presentations, program arrangements, and visual designs, to illustrate the beauty of traditional Chinese culture.