TheCMG New Year's Gala, formerly known as theCCTV New Year's Gala, also known as theSpring Festival Gala, and commonly abbreviated in Chinese asChunwan (Chinese:春晚;lit. 'spring evening'), is aChinese New Year special produced byChina Media Group (CMG). It is broadcast annually on theChinese New Year's Eve on its flagshipCCTV-1 and internationally through theChina Global Television Network^[1] TheGala has the largest audience of any entertainment show in the world,^[2] and is recognized byGuinness World Records as the world's most watched television program.^[3][4] The 2018 edition of theGala attracted more than one billion viewers.^[5]

The program is avariety show, often featuring music, dance, comedy, and drama performances. It has become a ritual for many Chinese families, includingoverseas Chinese, to watch the show on Chinese New Year's Eve. ManyChunwan performers have emerged as household names in China solely as a result of their recurring appearances on the program.

In the early 1980s, CCTV directorHuang Yihe proposed the idea of hosting a televised party to celebrate theChinese New Year, and the firstCCTV New Year's Gala aired in 1983.^[3] Operating on a very low budget, Huang was given a studio of 600 square meters (6,500 sq ft), which could accommodate only 60 staff members and 200 guests.^[6] With no money for recording and editing, the show was improvised and broadcast live. It was hosted byLiu Xiaoqing,Ma Ji,Jiang Kun, andWang Jingyu, and the studio had four telephones accepting live requests from callers nationwide.^[6] The popular singerLi Guyi ended the night with nine performances, and the cohost Jiang Kun performed threexiangsheng comedies.^[6] Huang and his colleagues took considerable political risk broadcasting the live show, as pop singers such as Li Guyi were at the time under attack by hardliners as "spiritual pollution", and one of her most popular songs,Hometown Love (乡恋), was still officially banned.^[7] With the permission fromWu Lengxi, the Minister of Radio and Television who was in the audience, Li Guyi performed the song for the first time on national TV.^[7]

After the first New Year Gala proved a huge hit with viewers nationwide, Wu was tasked with directing the second edition. At the time, China and Britain were under intense negotiation over theSino-British Joint Declaration on the status of Hong Kong. Huang came up with the idea of inviting the amateur Hong Kong singerCheung Ming-man to perform at his show.^[7] It was then unprecedented for a Hong Kong entertainer to perform on Chinese TV and his request met significant resistance. Huang persistently lobbied government officials and eventually gained their approval. Cheung's performance of the patriotic song "My Chinese Heart" at the 1984 gala made him a household name in China.^[7][6]

The program has attracted extremely large audiences, which have grown significantly over the years. TheCCTV New Year's Gala is the most watched television program in the world, with one billion viewers in 2018.^[5] As the Chinese New Year's Eve is a time when the family gathers, the typical situation involves a large 3-generation family gathered in front of their TV set while making dumplings for the first New Year's meal. TheGala adds a mood of celebration in the house as people laugh, discuss and enjoy the performance. It has become an ingrained tradition on mainland China to watch theNew Year's Gala on New Year's Eve. Rural areas that had previously been unfamiliar with concepts such as television would hold great gatherings on New Year's Eve to watch the program.^[5]

In 2011,Dashan made another appearance in the gala, alongside several foreign nationals of various ages, all engaging in fluent Mandarin conversation, including one of Russian nationality, an Australian and a Kenyan. The 2011 show was also noted for the appearances of various "ordinary people" performers who were selected by popular vote in a TV competition months prior.

The 'ordinary people' portrayals continued in 2012; several amateurs performed on the show. Coinciding with the rise of amateur performers is the decline of nationalist and political rhetoric. In both 2011 and 2012 versions of theGala, imagery of national leaders were removed from the show. The 2012 gala was directed byHa Wen, wife of hostLi Yong. In a break with tradition, the 2012Gala removed the announcements of embassies overseas sending New Year's greetings, as well as the "My Favorite New Year's Gala Act" voting announcement. It also did not conclude with a rendition of "Can't Forget Tonight", thus breaking the practice for the first time.^[8]

Beginning in the 1990s, the Gala has been broadcast to theChinese diaspora and millions of television viewers around the world onCCTV-4 with dedicated simulcasts for foreign viewers on theCGTN network since 2016.

The Gala marked its pearl jubilee in 2013 and its ruby jubilee in 2023. Its 2008 silver jubilee edition also added up to the hype and excitement regarding the2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, CCTV being official national broadcaster of the Games.

In the early days of theGala in the 1980s, the show focused almost entirely on arts and entertainment. Programming that was chiefly political in nature was very rare, reflecting the general openness of Chinese society in the 1980s and the departure ofMaoist political dogma from the lives of ordinary people. Communist Party leaders took an interest in the show as early as 1984, when then-General SecretaryHu Yaobang watched the show and resolved to learn how to sing "My Chinese Heart" by singerCheung Ming-man. Then, in 1990, Communist Party General SecretaryJiang Zemin and PremierLi Peng appeared on the show, ostensibly to participate in the celebration rather than disseminate a political agenda; Jiang gave a speech expressing his well-wishes.^[9] This six-minute live segment was the only instance national leaders participated in the program in its history.^[10]

Programming with heavy political undertones began appearing in the gala in the 1990s. As audiences grew, the show became a ritualized event of national significance and experienced increased state involvement in its production. Often, segments of the show became devoted to celebrating the previous year's "national achievements" and a preview of significant events of the upcoming year. In 2008, state media reported that major officials from thePublicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party and theState Administration of Radio, Film, and Television were on scene during the gala's rehearsal to supervise its production.^[11] In that same year, a segment featuring migrant workers was inserted into the show on the recommendation of PremierWen Jiabao.^[10]

Throughout the years, officials in charge of propaganda and media control, includingDing Guangen,Li Changchun, andLiu Yunshan, have paid visits to theChunwan production team. Commenting on the political evolution of theGala over the years,Takungpao said thatChunwan has evolved from a "year-end tea party" to a "conference for disseminating political propaganda.^[9]

Beginning in the 1990s, the show has consistently included one segment featuring a video montage of Communist Party leaders accompanied by background music. Shown every year were images of those consideredparamount leaders, includingMao Zedong,Deng Xiaoping,Jiang Zemin, andHu Jintao. In 2007 and 2008, the video footage featured the entire line-up ofPolitburo Standing Committee members. Between 2011 and 2014, imagery of national leaders were absent from the show, and the amount of political content varied from year to year. For example, the 2011 show featured a rendition of a patriotic song that emphasized Hu Jintao'sHarmonious Society andScientific Development Concept ideologies. In 2012 there was minimal political content, though parts of the show alluded to "building a strong nation" and the18th Party Congress which was to be held in the fall of that year. The 2014 show, however, was again peppered with political enhancements throughout that paid homage toGeneral SecretaryXi Jinping's "Chinese Dream" ideology, in addition to several nationalistic-themed songs. The 2015 show, reportedly one of the most closely managed affairs in years,^[12] prominently featured Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign, with three comedy routines being linked to the theme. In addition, in a remarkable departure from convention, the 2015 show also featured Xi Jinping exclusively in a lengthy video montage during an opera-style song entitled "Give my Heart to You".^[13] The heavy emphasis on political content continued in 2016; that edition, believed to be one of the most political affairs since the show's inception, saw a return of the more familiar line-up of national leaders. Since 2017, however, the gala has not shown imagery of national leaders, opting instead of showcase various aspects of economic development or nationalist themes.^[14]

ThePeople's Liberation Army is featured in the show's programming every year, usually in the form of a song, although sometimes military-themed sketch comedies have also appeared. Many of the Gala's most prominent singers have a background in the performing arts troupe of the PLA, includingYan Weiwen,Song Zuying,Dong Wenhua andPeng Liyuan.^[9]

In 1985, the gala was held in theWorkers Indoor Arena. It had a live audience dispersed throughout the arena. Production staff were not equipped with walkie-talkies, so they improvised their communication with artists, running around or gesturing from a distance to give cues. This made the show appear uncoordinated and exceptionally slow on television; the edition lasted over six hours and remains the longest gala on record. The live audience was also milling about the arena for the duration of the show, which was distracting and noisy for the television audience. It was most strongly criticized for its poor lighting effects that made the stage difficult to see.^[15]

Chen Peisi and his artistic collaboratorZhu Shimao were household names in the 1990s, partly owing to their appearances on the gala. After their hit sketch piece in the 1998 show, a subsidiary of CCTV distributed their performances onVCD without gaining the pair's permission in advance. In 2000, Chen and Zhu sued the subsidiary and won; the court ordered restitution and rescinded their rights to Chen and Zhu's work. Thereafter, Chen and Zhu never appeared on the gala again.^[16]

In the 2007 edition, just before the clock struck midnight, the six hosts of the show assembled on stage suffered a mass breakdown referred to as the "dark three minutes".Zhu Jun,Zhou Tao,Li Yong,Dong Qing, Zhang Zequn and Liu Fangfei collectively started a chain of misread and mistimed lines. Zhang Zequn was the first to read his lines incorrectly, obviously reciting the wrongchunlian, although the audience still applauded. Li Yong then mentioned the transition from the yearbingxu (year of the dog) todinghai (year of the pig) and a greeting to "mother comrades across the country" before being cut off by Zhu Jun's loud declaration that the new year had almost arrived. Liu Fangfei, who was relatively new to the gala, then read a line that was obviously incomplete, followed by seconds ofdead air. Zhou Tao tried following it up, only to be interrupted by Li Yong. Zhou then gave Li Yong an annoyed stare, obviously visible as the camera was focused on her. Zhu Jun then interrupted Li Yong again, only to be in turn interrupted by Zhou Tao before the ten-second countdown began.^[17] Host Zhang Zequn apologized for the incident on his CCTV blog.

Some observers have criticized theGala for resisting larger trends in Chinese society, such as the increased role of women in society and changing gender norms. The 2015 skit "Goddesses and Tomboys" (女神和女汉子), led byJia Ling, faced particular derision online for its portrayal of strong female roles in society and its insensitive depiction of the "sheng nu" phenomenon.^[18]

In 2016, theGala was criticized for planning to include a "virtual mascot", modeled in 3D based on a painting of a monkey byHan Meilin that was described as "a monster" and "ugly" by many.^[19] The digital mascot was also mocked on various Chinese social networks.^[20]

The 2018 edition was criticized for a comedy skit focusing onAfrica–China relations, and in particular, China's investments in African railways. The skit featured Chinese actress Lou Naiming wearingblackface and a prosthetic buttocks to portray the mother of an African woman. The woman had asked the host to pose as her husband so she wouldn't be subjected to anarranged date. However, after the host exposed the ruse by introducing her wife, the woman's mother excuses it, declaring her love for China and its people. The skit was ridiculed by viewers and social media, especially among local groups anddiaspora, for its invocation ofAfrican stereotypes.^[21]

The 2007 and 2019 editions, despite celebrating the year of the pig in the Chinese zodiac, eschewed nearly all imagery and language invoking pigs. Some suspected this was due to official sensitivities shown towards Muslim minority groups in China (and in the latter case possibly due to an outbreak ofAfrican swine fever).^[22]

The 2021 show again featured performers in blackface wearing approximations of African clothing. Like in 2018 it received criticism both within China and internationally. The Chinese foreign ministry responded to criticism by saying that it was not an issue and that anyone saying otherwise must have ulterior motives.^[23]

The 2025 gala featured noethnic minorities compared to previous years.^[24] It also featured an American band for the first time and a celebration of thePort of Chancay.^[24]

• 2001–2014 Data source: CSM Media Research.^[26]

As the program is watched by more Chinese than any other program, not just from China itself but also from overseas Chinese and viewers abroad via CCTV's international channels, a performance in the New Year's Gala could propel a relatively unknown name into household talk and national celebrity (and possible international hit status and social media stardom) overnight. Since the beginning of this program many great stars of Chinese pop music have been discovered, comedians started their careers, and Taiwan and Hong Kong singers earning not just exposure to mainland viewers but also attention from fans around the world watching theGala live or on demand. An appearance by any major Mandopop star on the Gala will expose his or her music to overseas audiences, a newcomer's first song in the program guarantees not just fame and stardom but also a fanbase of millions of TV and online viewers.

The following is a list of people who have gained their fame largely from their performances at theGala, or whose names have become frequently associated with theGala through the years. This list is not to be confused with the "guest stars" list below, which identifies celebrities who were famous in their own right prior to their appearance at theGala. These individuals have been part of the Gala's long history, and are very much the people that many viewers remember from past editions.

• Zhao Benshan;Gao Xiumin;Fan Wei; – skits, 1990s – 2010s;Xiaoshenyang – 2009
• Song Dandan;Chen Peisi;Zhu Shimao – skits, 1990s
• Guo Da,Cai Ming,Pan Changjiang,Huang Hong,Guo Donglin,Gong Hanlin – skits, 1990s – 2010s
• Jia Ling – skits, 2010s – 2020s
• Feng Gong and Niu Qun – xiangsheng, 1990s – 2000s (decade)
• Ma Ji,Jiang Kun – xiangsheng
• Dashan (stage name of Canadian Mark Rowswell), gained his fame through the Gala, 1990s – 2010s
• Song Zuying,Peng Liyuan,^[27]Dong Wenhua,Mao Amin,Zhang Ye,Han Lei,Jiang Dawei,Yan Weiwen,Yin Xiumei; folk and opera singers, 1990s – 2010s
• Li Guyi, usually the performer of the last segment of the evening, "Nanwang Jinxiao" ("Tonight is Unforgettable")

This list isincomplete; you can help byadding missing items.(February 2014)

These performers have made appearances at theGala. They are listed by alphabetical order (by their last name, or if they perform under an artistic name, by that name) based on the common name they are known by internationally.^[28]

• Members of theChinese Space Program (2007–2009, 2017)
• 2008 also featured a poem dedicated to the victims of the2008 Chinese winter storms with it being performed by eminent performers, includingLi Ruiying,Kang Hui,Pu Cunxin,Wang Gang,Chen Daoming,Jiang Wen,Han Lei,Wei Wei andZhang Guoli. 2020 included a tribute to the COVID-19 victims and medical staff, read out byBai Yansong, Kang Hui,Shui Junyi, He Hongmei,Hai Xia, andOuyang Xiadan
• Then-United Nation Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon appeared in a New Year's greeting in 2016.

• CCSTV New Year's Gala
• Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve
• Gặp nhau cuối năm
• Little Blue Light

• CCTV Official Website for theGala

• China Central Television
• Chinese New Year
• Chinese television shows
• New Year's television specials
• 2010s Chinese television series
• 1983 Chinese television series debuts
• 1980s Chinese television series
• 1990s Chinese television series
• 2000s Chinese television series
• Mandarin-language television shows

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