Films featuring traditional Chinese cultural elements shine during 2025 Spring Festival

China

Films featuring traditional Chinese cultural elements shine during 2025 Spring Festival

2025-02-04 14:14 Last Updated At：17:07

Films infused with traditional Chinese cultural elements have taken the spotlight during the 2025 Spring Festival, sparking a cinematic boom.

The week-long Spring Festival holiday, running from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4 in 2025, is traditionally China's most lucrative moviegoing window. This year, a stellar lineup has been presented to audiences, including "Ne Zha 2", the detective thriller "Detective Chinatown 1900", and the fantasy film "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force".

According to data from online platforms, as of 14:43 on Tuesday, the total box office for films released during the 2025 Spring Festival has surpassed 11 billion yuan (about 1.53 billion U.S. dollars).

Additionally, by 10:00 on the same day, the total number of moviegoers during the 2025 Spring Festival has exceeded 170 million, surpassing the total number from the 2024 Spring Festival and setting a new record for moviegoers during this period in Chinese cinema history.

Cinemas in cities like Rizhao in east China's Shandong Province and Guiyang in southwest China's Guizhou Province saw packed audiences throughout the Spring Festival.

Films released during this period catered to a wide range of age groups and people with diverse preferences. From Jan. 29 to Feb. 3, the box office saw a remarkable six-day streak of daily earnings surpassing 1 billion yuan (about 139 million U.S. dollars).

"Nearly every screening was fully booked from 13:00 to 21:00 these days. We've extended our hours from 8:00 to midnight and added extra staff in response," said Yang Qingfeng, an on-duty manager of a cinema in Rizhao City.

Among the standout releases, "Ne Zha 2", which draws inspiration from the tale of a mythological figure of the same name from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) novel "Fengshen Yanyi", or "The Investiture of the Gods", reimages the classic tale with modern twists, captivating audience with its stunning animation and compelling storyline.

"There's a scene where all the demons escape from the Demon Suppression Tower, and the iron chains move like strands of hair. The special effects in this movie really show how far Chinese animation has come," said Zhang Yue, a viewer from Guiyang.

Another highlight, "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force", a domestic fantasy production also inspired by "The Investiture of the Gods", delivers epic battle scenes and breathtaking visual effects, immersing viewers in rich traditional Chinese cultural elements.

"Every detail in the movie was designed to show the audience the essence of traditional Chinese culture. That's the creation principle we adhered to: honoring the tradition while pushing for innovation," said Wuershan, the film's director.

"Chinese viewers are more inclined to watch movies featuring unique Chinese elements. Historical epics like 'Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force' resonate deeply with them. Movies with Chinese elements can truly offer fresh perspectives and new elements that viewers haven't seen before," said Kris Phillips, known in China as Fei Xiang, a lead actor in the film.

U.S. gov't begins refunding tariffs to businesses

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Monday launched the first phase of a new claims system that will allow importers to seek repayment of tariffs collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

Companies and their customs brokers can submit refund requests through CBP's Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) portal using a newly developed tool known as the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries, or CAPE, starting Monday.

Once a claim is validated, CBP will recalculate the duties without the IEEPA tariffs and reliquidate the entries, triggering repayment. The refunds will be paid directly to the businesses that originally paid the tariffs, local media reported Monday.

Valid refunds will generally be issued within 60 to 90 days after a claim is accepted, CBP said, though more complex cases could take longer.

CBP is rolling out the refund process in phases. Court filings show that more than 330,000 importers paid duties on over 53 million shipments, totaling roughly 166 billion U.S. dollars.

The Supreme Court ruled in February that U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs under IEEPA are unconstitutional. It is Congress, not the president, that holds authority over such taxes.

Following the ruling, a judge at the U.S. Court of International Trade directed CBP to remove the tariffs from affected entries and refund any excess duties collected, along with interest.