On Monday evening, China Media Group's 2026 Spring Festival Gala lit up screens across the country and around the world. For more than four decades, the annual gala – widely known as Chunwan – has been the spiritual feast of the Chinese people on the eve of the Chinese New Year, and a shared cultural ritual that accompanies family reunions.

This year, CGTN partnered with its multilingual platforms in 85 languages, working with more than 3,500 media outlets in over 200 countries and regions to broadcast and report on the gala live.

As the Chinese New Year increasingly evolves from a "Chinese festival" into a global celebration, the Spring Festival Gala has taken on a new mission: to allow the world to share in the joy and festivity of the season, and to experience the richness and vibrancy of Chinese culture.

Rooted in Chinese culture with celebrations of various forms, the Spring Festival symbolizes renewal and family unity. It carries a universal resonance of hope and aspirations for a better life.

A cultural feast

The 2026 gala once again delivered a grand audiovisual spectacle, bringing together a mix of performances, from music, comedy, and traditional arts like opera and martial arts to spectacular acts such as magic and acrobatics. The stage became a window through which audiences at home and abroad could glimpse the enduring charm of China's fine traditional culture.

A highlight of the evening was a cross-cultural acrobatic performance that blended Chinese traditional techniques with international staging and choreography, symbolizing dialogue and mutual appreciation among civilizations. In another much-discussed act, ballet met street dance in a dynamic fusion piece that seamlessly combined classical elegance with urban rhythm– a vivid expression of cultural confidence rooted in tradition yet open to innovation.

Meanwhile, comedic sketches drew on everyday life, reflecting social changes with warmth and humor. Together, these diverse programs painted a portrait of a society that values heritage while embracing contemporary creativity.

For Chinese people, the Spring Festival Gala is more than just a TV show. It has become an indispensable "cultural feast" and emotional bond for the Chinese people on the eve of the Chinese New Year. Through fostering reunion and companionship and telling the stories of ordinary people, it encapsulates the country's hopes and heritage, making it an irreplaceable emotional and cultural touchstone for billions of Chinese people worldwide.

Broadcast globally in multiple languages, the gala allowed overseas Chinese to participate in the same celebration as their families back in China, bridging geographical distances and reinforcing a shared cultural identity. It is a reminder that, no matter where they are, they are part of a larger community.

Technology on full display

With culture at the heart of the gala, technology provided its powerful wings. This year's gala integrated cutting-edge digital tools into many aspects of the show.

Advanced applications, including artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and extended reality (XR), transformed the stage into an immersive, multidimensional space. Incorporating cutting-edge technologies, such as VR glasses, Beidou navigation, and drones, vast digital landscapes unfolded behind performers, bringing different traditions to life through dynamic, interactive projections.

The 2026 gala coincides with a pivotal moment in China's technological development. AI, robotics, and other foundational technologies – poised to shape human society for decades – are now rapidly entering the consumer market.

This broader technological wave was clearly reflected in the gala's production. One of the highlights came when humanoid robots brought Kung Fu to the next level, performing vaults and backflips with smooth and precise movements. The performance has amazed overseas netizens who expressed their admiration for the development of China's robotics industry.

In 2025, China's humanoid robot industry moved from a phase of technological novelty to one of increasingly wide social deployment. The country is now home to more than 150 humanoid robot companies, and the sector is expanding at an annual rate of over 50 percent, with the market scale expected to reach 100 billion yuan (about $14.22 billion) by 2030.

The Year of the Horse extravaganza stands out in the 43-year evolution of the Spring Festival Gala as one of the most technologically advanced editions to date. The presence of AI applications and robotics was not superficial decoration, but an integral part of storytelling and artistic expression.

For more than 40 years, the Spring Festival Gala has mirrored China's transformation – from an era of scarcity to one of digital connectivity and global engagement. As families gathered before their screens and international audiences tuned in from afar, the gala offered more than entertainment. It presents a living narrative of a civilization that treasures its heritage, embraces innovation, and shares its festive spirit with the world.