Adorable snake dances in CMG promo video marking 10 days to 2025 Spring Festival Gala

China Media Group (CMG) kicked off the final countdown to the 2025 Spring Festival Gala with the release of a charming animated promotional video on Saturday, marking just 10 days until the grand show airs on January 28, the eve of Chinese New Year.

The Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is China's most cherished traditional celebration, uniting families across the country in joyous festivities.

As the Year of the Snake approaches, the gala unveiled its official mascot "Si Shengsheng." Drawing inspiration from a 3,000-year-old bronze snake, the mascot has a round head and serpentine body, resembling the character "si" in the oracle bone script, which stands for snake in the Chinese zodiac.

An animated Si Shengsheng puts on a playful performance in the video, capering with a large persimmon, a symbol of good luck and longevity which often has a place at Chinese New Year celebrations.

In a remarkable milestone, UNESCO inscribed the Spring Festival on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in late 2024, officially recognizing the global significance of this vibrant tradition.

Initiated in 1983, CMG's annual Spring Festival Gala has become an iconic part of the Chinese New Year celebration, drawing hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide with its star-studded performances. The gala is a rich mix of comedy skits, songs and dances, acrobatics, and magic acts.

On Friday, the 2025 Spring Festival Gala concluded its third rehearsal. For the first time, sub-venues in Chongqing Municipality, Wuhan of Hubei Province, Lhasa of Xizang Autonomous Region, and Wuxi of Jiangsu Province made their appearances, joining the main venue in Beijing for a combined rehearsal.

More than four decades since its inception, the gala, also known as "Chunwan" in Chinese, has evolved beyond a mere television show. It represents a nationally shared experience, a collective memory, and its evolution is in many ways representative of China's wider technological growth and social development.

Adorable snake dances in CMG promo video marking 10 days to 2025 Spring Festival Gala

Adorable snake dances in CMG promo video marking 10 days to 2025 Spring Festival Gala

Adorable snake dances in CMG promo video marking 10 days to 2025 Spring Festival Gala

Adorable snake dances in CMG promo video marking 10 days to 2025 Spring Festival Gala

Adorable snake dances in CMG promo video marking 10 days to 2025 Spring Festival Gala

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has recorded 122 vessel security incidents linked to the U.S.-Iran conflict within its monitoring area so far this year, according to its report released Friday.

Six attacks on shipping vessels have also been recorded in the Red Sea this year, along with 41 piracy-related incidents, the report said.

The report said the security situation in and around the Strait of Hormuz remains severe. So far this year, the UKMTO has issued 133 maritime security warnings and 18 security advisories.

The UKMTO urged vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and nearby high-risk waters to stay highly vigilant, closely follow the latest security information, and promptly report suspicious activities.

122 shipping incidents linked to U.S.-Iran conflict recorded this year: UKMTO