A fusion of modern song and traditional folk customs was staged in southwest China's bustling Chongqing Municipality on Wednesday night, as the city served as one of the sub-venues for the 2025 Lantern Festival Gala.
Hosted by the China Media Group (CMG), the gala boasted a star-studded lineup and delivered a high-tech visual-audio feast for viewers tuning in from around the world to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which landed on Wednesday this year.
The stage for the Chongqing sub-venue was set up at the Danzishi Square, one of the best spots in the downtown area to enjoy the spectacular view of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers converging, with the impressive modern cityscape serving as the backdrop.
During the gala, this area was turned into a vibrant and colorful lantern fair to honor the traditional festival. The show kicked off with a funky rap performance sung in the distinctive tones of the Chongqing dialect, before a spectacular display of intangible cultural heritage captivated the audience, with colorful dragon and lion dances, carp lantern displays, and the distinctive Sichuan Opera all featuring.
One of the highlights was a performance of the vibrant 'Chuanjiang Haozi' folk music tradition from Chongqing, which was sung by the generations of boatmen as a rhythmic accompaniment to the daily work navigating the region's waterways.
In addition to the main stage in Beijing, Chongqing was one of the four sub-venues of this year's gala, with the other three being Wuhan in central China, the ancient city of Lhasa in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region and the historic water town of Wuxi in east China's Jiangsu Province.
First broadcast in 1985, this year's Lantern Festival Gala again staged a whole host of entertaining variety performances including energetic song and dances, comedy sketches, as well as traditional operas and magic shows, highlighting China's unique cultural charm.
The Lantern Festival, observed on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 12 this year, and marks the conclusion of the country's Spring Festival celebrations, which center around the Chinese New Year.
Chongqing sub-venue stages fusion of modern song, folk performances
Chongqing sub-venue stages fusion of modern song, folk performances
Chongqing sub-venue stages fusion of modern song, folk performances
