CMG Mid-Autumn Festival Gala features stunning performances, honors wartime heroes

China Media Group's (CMG) Mid-Autumn Festival Gala aired on Monday night featured stunning songs and dances, as well as performances paying tribute to China's wartime heroes.

Themed "Full Moon in Autumn," the third part of the grand gala began with a moon-themed song inspired by multiple ancient Chinese poems, followed by other singing and dancing performances showing people's longing for loved ones and their love for the country -- sentiments often associated with full moon nights in classical Chinese literature.

The gala also presented viewers with shows honoring China's wartime heroes, as this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 75th anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteers' (CPV) participation in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953).

A micro-documentary told the story of CPV soldier Huang Jiguang, who was born in Deyang City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, where parts of Monday's gala were video taped. He died on the battlefield in Korea 73 years ago, and his descendants, who appeared in the documentary, said they will pass down his spirit from generation to generation to guard the peace of their country.

A medley of songs was presented in Chinese, English, French and Russian to commemorate the 80th anniversary of World War II victory.

The gala concluded with a symphony named "Bright Moon Over the Ocean."

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a significant traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the night when the moon reaches its fullest and brightest on the 15th day of the eighth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. This year, the day falls on Monday.

During the festival, family members would come together, share mooncakes while admiring the moon, and light up lanterns to enjoy the happiness of family reunion.

China's outstanding aggregate social financing -- the total amount of financing to the real economy -- reached 442.12 trillion yuan (about 63.4 trillion U.S. dollars) as of the end of 2025, up 8.3 percent year on year, central bank data showed on Thursday.

The country's aggregate social financing stood at 35.6 trillion yuan (about 5.1 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2025, up by 3.34 trillion yuan (about 479 billion U.S. dollars) from the year 2024, said the People's Bank of China (PBOC), the country's central bank.

According to the data, the M2, a broad measure of money supply that covers cash in circulation and all deposits, increased 8.5 percent year on year to 340.29 trillion yuan (about 48.8 trillion U.S. dollars) as of the end of December.

In addition, outstanding yuan loans stood at 271.91 trillion yuan (about 39 trillion U.S. dollars) at the end of 2025, up 6.4 percent year on year.