Landmark buildings in eight Chinese cities have been lit up with the theme and logo of the 2026 Spring Festival Gala, welcoming in advance the arrival of the Year of the Horse.
China Media Group (CMG) on Wednesday unveiled the official theme and logo for its 2026 Spring Festival Gala, celebrating the start of the Year of the Horse in the Chinese lunar calendar, which begins on February 17, 2026.
Inspired by a poetic line from an ancient anthology of Chinese poetry, the theme of the 2026 Spring Festival Gala is "Galloping steed, Onward unstoppable", CMG announced.
The light shows were staged on landmark buildings in eight Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hengyang and Huzhou.
The Chinese lunar year for 2026 is the Year of the Horse, one of the most dynamic and spirited in the 12-animal Chinese zodiac cycle, representing strength, perseverance and unstoppable momentum.
The Spring Festival Gala hosted by CMG has been an essential part of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations since 1983. The gala includes songs, dances, comic sketches, operas and folk arts.
The annual spectacle, known as the most-watched television program in the world, is broadcast on the eve of the Chinese New Year, when families come together to ring in the new lunar year.
This upcoming Spring Festival Eve falls on Feb 16, 2026.
Spring Festival Gala logo, theme light up on landscape buildings across China
China's box office revenue this year has exceeded 50 billion yuan (about 7.08 billion U.S. dollars) as of 14:30 on Saturday, with cumulative attendance reaching nearly 1.2 billion, representing a significant recovery from a year ago.
China's New Year movie season has delivered a strong performance. Blockbusters, such as "Zootopia 2," "Avatar 3," and the Chinese war film "Gezhi Town," have all posted impressive results.
Leading the box office, "Zootopia 2" has grossed more than 3 billion yuan (about 425.23 million U.S. dollars) in China, surpassing its North American earnings and making China the film's top-grossing market worldwide. The success reflects the strong enthusiasm of Chinese audiences for cinema.
"I watch one to two movies every week. Cinemas create a unique space that's totally different from watching on a phone. It's like a spiritual sanctuary for me," said Yu Zhiyuan, a moviegoer.
"I think this year's New Year season is fantastic. From war films and family-friendly movies to restored classic re-releases, they still bring so much emotion to audiences today and truly touch people's hearts," said Liu Jiayuan, another moviegoer.
The re-release of classic films has also added cultural depth to the New Year season, from the 70-year-old suspense classic "Witness for the Prosecution" to "Seediq Bale," which portrays the resistance of the indigenous people of China's Taiwan region against Japanese fascism, and "Mountains May Depart," a story of ordinary Chinese lives in the 1990s.
The filmmakers behind these works have been delighted to see moviegoers returning to theaters to experience these films on the big screen.
"Movies are a record of the times, an archive of each era. Given China's massive market, the demand for diversification is becoming increasingly evident. So, even within the same so-called movie season, there are diverse needs among audiences, and that's why these films have achieved great results," said Jia Zhangke, director of "Mountains May Depart."
Domestic films account for over 80 percent of the huge market, reflecting a significant recovery from last year's total of 42 billion yuan (approximately 5.95 billion U.S. dollars).
"I believe filmmakers are thrilled with the market recovery this year. The 2025 market has seen substantial growth, which is a great encouragement for us. As long as there are good works, audiences will come to watch. As creators, we must continue to improve our artistic quality," said Jia.
Chinese mainland's film ticket sales in 2025 exceed 50 billion yuan
