On the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year, China Central
Television's annual Spring Festival gala unveiled its curtain as
scheduled.
After a joyful dance celebrating the coming of spring, six hosts
and hostess greeted the audience.
Actor Wang Baoqiang (C)
sings "Song of a Migrant Worker" at China Central Television's
Spring Festival Gala on?February 6, 2008. Watching the live
show on the eve of Spring Festival is an annual tradition for
billions of Chinese.
With an estimated audience of one billion people, both at home
and abroad, the annual Spring Festival gala on CCTV has become the
world's most watched show. In order to bring a splendid and
excellent show to the audience, the gala usually starts its
preparation several months ahead.
Adding new programs just a few days before the eve of the
festival is not usual for the gala. However, this year, as many
parts of China have encountered unexpected severe snowfalls in
decades, a special disaster relief program was added to the
show.
The added segment has become one of the highlights of the gala.
Some prominent Chinese TV hosts and hostess, actors and actress,
took part in a poetry recitation, which is expected to send comfort
and concern to the stranded travelers on their way home. Followed
the poetry recitation, a special song was also devoted to the
victims and rescuers of the snowstorms.
The song is aimed at buoying people's spirits. The lyric says
although the snow is merciless, people still have love to conquer
it.
The four-hour event was broadcast live nationwide and across the
world by CCTV through its Chinese-language channels, the English,
French and Spanish services and its website.
Since the show started on 1983, CCTV's Spring Festival gala has
become the premier entertainment show on the eve of the Chinese New
Year.
Actress Zhang Ziyi sings at
China Central Television's Spring Festival Gala on?February 6,
2008.
Taiwan singer Fei Yuqing
performs at China Central Television's Spring Festival Gala
on?February 6, 2008.
Taiwan singer Jay Chow
performs at China Central Television's Spring Festival Gala
on?February 6, 2008.
Comedians Zhao Benshan (R)
and Song Dandan (C) perform a "Xiaopin," or a skit, at China
Central Television's Spring Festival Gala on?February 6,
2008.
Taiwan singing group S.H.E.
perform at China Central Television's Spring Festival Gala
on?February 6, 2008.
(CRI February 7, 2008)
