CMG's Mid-Autumn Festival Gala celebrates traditions with star-studded performances

China Media Group (CMG)'s much-anticipated Mid-Autumn Festival Gala aired at 20:00 Beijing Time on Tuesday, captivating a global audience with its poetic and artistic celebrations of the festival.

The gala, known as "Qiuwan" in Chinese, was filmed in Shenyang City, the provincial capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province. This city, rich in cultural heritage and industrial significance, boasts a 2,300-year history, three world heritage sites, and over 1,500 historical landmarks.

Themed "Moon Culture," the gala presented over 30 artistic performances, including poems, songs, dances, and operas, vividly reflecting Chinese traditional culture with a modern flair.

The program was divided into three chapters, namely "Moon Rise," "Moon Light," and "Bright Moon."

"Moon Rise" opened with a song adapted from a poem by Li Qingzhao, a Song Dynasty (960-1279) female poet, celebrating the sweet osmanthus flower, which blooms at this time of year and has been cultivated in China for over 2,500 years.

This section also featured performances blending traditional Chinese music with contemporary styles, emphasizing family, patriotism, and nostalgia, including a performance featuring popular Kazakhstani singer Dimash Qudaibergen.

The second chapter, "Moon Light," highlighted traditional Chinese culture and Shenyang's local charm with acts which included ancient shadow puppetry and errenzhuan, a two-person stand-up comedy unique to northeast China.

Notable performances included pop star Li Yuchun's duet with a child, celebrating maternal love, and singer Tan Weiwei's performance with Olympic champions Wu Dajing and Deng Yawen, honoring dream chasers. Hungarian pianist Balazs Havasi joined Chinese artists for a stirring performance, spreading a message of warmth and romance.

"Moon Bright," the final chapter, featured classic songs and reunion-themed narratives.

Highlights included a musical adaptation of Tang Dynasty poem "Qing Ping Diao” by poet Li Bai (701-762), which captures the essence of ancient Chinese beauty. A moving performance by a middle-school chorus from Macao Special Administrative Region expressed students' love for the country and hopes for a brighter future.

French musician Richard Clayderman enchanted the audience with his timeless "A Comme Amour" and a breathtaking rendition of "The Butterfly Lovers" concerto, which intertwines Chinese folklore with Western romantic composition.

The gala is now available on various China Central Television (CCTV) channels and new media platforms.

This year's Mid-Autumn Festival, symbolizing family reunion, was celebrated on Tuesday, September 17.

CMG's Mid-Autumn Festival Gala celebrates traditions with star-studded performances

CMG's Mid-Autumn Festival Gala celebrates traditions with star-studded performances

As an orchestra played traditional Chinese instruments made from delicate porcelain, including pipa, erhu and xiao, crystalline notes flowed down from the stage.

The performance was part of a culture and tourism promotional event for Jingdezhen, China's porcelain capital, which was held in London's Kensington on Tuesday.

Li Liyan, minister counselor for cultural affairs of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, said during the event that Jingdezhen is not only a symbol of Chinese culture, but also a bridge connecting civilizations between China and other countries.

Located in east China's Jiangxi Province, Jingdezhen has a history of ceramic craftsmanship that spans over 2,000 years. In ancient times, it exported ceramics to Central Asia, West Asia, Europe, and Africa via the Silk Road.

In recent years, the city has grown even more popular as a tourist destination. Artists from around the world have also moved to the city, establishing studios and organizing pottery activities.

At Tuesday's event, two contracts were signed between organizations from the UK and the porcelain capital, including a deal between the London-based Chopsticks Club and a travel agency from Jingdezhen.

During the event, porcelain products from Jingdezhen, including banquet dinnerware sets, ceramic lamps, porcelain combs and bracelets, were also exhibited.

China's porcelain capital showcases porcelain culture in London