The seven-minute show staged in Wuhan, one of the four sub-venues for the 2025 Spring Festival Gala, portrayed the indomitable spirit of the city's people through a breathtaking array of performances, aiming to deeply resonate with audiences, according to the director of the Wuhan sub-venue.
The gala, hosted by the China Media Group (CMG), was broadcast live on the evening of Tuesday, the eve of the Chinese New Year.
In addition to the main stage in Beijing, the gala had sub-venues in Chongqing Municipality, Lhasa City in Xizang Autonomous Region, Wuhan City in Hubei Province, and Wuxi City in Jiangsu Province.
One of the most breathtaking scenes staged at the sub-venue in Wuhan was the "Phoenix Dance" performed in front of Wuhan's iconic Yellow Crane Tower, with a total of 241 dancers embodying the majestic posture of the mythical bird.
Leading the performance as the "head of the phoenix" was dancer Meng Qingyang, renowned for her role in the dance drama "A Tapestry of a Legendary Land."
Throughout the show, Meng donned a specially crafted costume weighing up to 10 kilograms, with a skirt train stretching six meters. Standing on a stage over six meters above the ground, she executed a series of intricate and graceful dance movements with precision and grace.
To enhance the visual impact, the performance incorporated advanced technology such as CG animation, showcasing a magnificent phoenix adorned in golden feathers as it gracefully ascended the Yellow Crane Tower and soared into the sky.
Moreover, the scenes featuring themes of family reunion, iconic moments and dialogues from popular movies, and local residents in Wuhan running at significant landmarks, were accompanied by heartfelt narrations and have profoundly resonated with audiences.
Throughout a month-long period, across 22 filming locations in Wuhan, students from 12 universities, over 2,000 professional actors representing 11 academic groups, and 12,000 extras collaborated to produce a magnificent seven-minute performance.
"I believe that the people of Wuhan embody a spirit of resilience and fearlessness in the face of hardship. They exemplify perseverance through challenges and the capacity to attain a happy life through their own endeavors in the modern era. The scenes transition from the hustle and bustle of daily life to the warmth of reunion, then to heightened emotions, and ultimately to emotional sublimation, encapsulating the spirit of the 'Nirvana of Phoenix,'" said Zhang Min, director of the Wuhan sub-venue.
The annual gala, also known as "Chunwan" in Chinese, was first broadcast in 1983 and is seen as a major cultural symbol for Spring Festival celebrations in China.
Recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's most-watched annual TV program, the hours-long television extravaganza attracts over a billion views every year.
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2025 Spring Festival Gala's Wuhan sub-venue exhibits Wuhan people's indomitable spirit: director