The China Media Group (CMG) on Sunday unveiled the four sub-venue locations for the 2026 Spring Festival Gala.
Heilongjiang Province's Harbin, Zhejiang Province's Yiwu, Anhui Province's Hefei, and Sichuan Province's Yibin have been selected to stage parts of the world's most-watched TV program.
Along with the main venue in Beijing, the selected locations are expected to stage a vibrant and diverse cultural feast for audiences during one of the most important traditional Chinese festivals.
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 New Year celebrations since 1983. The gala includes songs, dances, comic sketches, traditional Chinese operas and folk arts.
The annual spectacle is broadcast on the eve of the Chinese New Year.
In 2026, the Chinese New Year's Eve falls on Feb 16.
CMG unveils 4 sub-venues for 2026 Spring Festival Gala
CMG unveils 4 sub-venues for 2026 Spring Festival Gala
Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po, more commonly known as Panchen Rinpoche and a leader of Tibetan Buddhism, has completed a six-month tour of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, during which he performed regular duties, conducted research and surveys, and participated in various Buddhist and social activities.
During his tour, Panchen Rinpoche, a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, attended celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Xizang Autonomous Region in the regional capital Lhasa in August.
He then visited the prefecture-level cities of Qamdo, Nagqu, and Xigaze to conduct field research, gaining insights into rural revitalization, the development of harmonious and beautiful highland villages, and the advancement of Tibetan medicine.
He also traveled to Dingri County in Xigaze to learn about post-quake reconstruction progress and assess local residents' living conditions after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit the county in January.
At the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Xigaze, his traditional seat, Panchen Rinpoche presided over the Kalachakra (wheel of time) ritual and attended both the 30th-anniversary commemoration of his enthronement and a symposium on the reincarnation system of Tibetan Buddhist Living Buddhas.
Over the past three decades since his enthronement, Panchen Rinpoche has upheld Tibetan Buddhism's proud tradition of patriotism and devotion to faith. His Buddhist scholarship has grown ever more profound, earning him deep affection and respect from monastics and devotees alike.
He has made significant contributions to promoting ethnic unity, religious harmony, and Xizang's social stability and development.
As president of the Xizang branch of the Buddhist Association of China, Panchen Rinpoche also convened a series of work meetings of the branch, visited major monasteries including the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, and held extensive discussions with leaders and practitioners across the Tibetan Buddhist community.
He encouraged monastics to actively engage in the new journey toward Chinese modernization, and to play a greater role in advancing the adaptation of Tibetan Buddhism to socialist society, fostering a stronger sense of the Chinese nation as one community, and jointly writing a new chapter for a more beautiful Xizang.
Panchen Rinpoche concludes six-month tour of Xizang
