Rural teacher shares excitement after attending Spring Festival Gala rehearsal

The China Media Group (CMG), the country's flagship broadcaster, has opened its audience seats of the highly anticipated Spring Festival Gala to members of the public from across the country.

The move aims to have more people experience up close the festive and auspicious atmosphere of the nation's most-watched annual television program.

Among the invited audience to a recent gala rehearsal was Ding Yuling, a rural primary school teacher from Fuyang, east China's Anhui Province.

Acting as the "eyes" of her students in the countryside, she attended the rehearsal to witness the innovative performances on the gala stage.

"Watching the Spring Festival Gala rehearsal live at the venue was truly breathtaking. What impressed me most was an acrobatic performance, which was different from the traditional acrobatics I had seen before, as modern technology was well combined with acrobatics. It's hard to put into words how I feel, it's simply stunning and beautiful. My students knew I was coming to watch the rehearsal, and they even gave me an assignment: to tell them what it's like behind the scenes. I will share with them my feelings at this very moment," said Ding.

The gala, set to be aired on Chinese New Year's Eve on February 16 this year, will combine traditional Chinese culture with modern stagecraft, as well as cross-cultural performances featuring international artists.

Commonly known as "Chunwan" in Chinese, the gala has been broadcast live every Chinese New Year's Eve since 1983 and has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the most-watched annual television program on the planet.

Just over a year ago, the Spring Festival itself was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Rural teacher shares excitement after attending Spring Festival Gala rehearsal

A group of Japanese citizens held a study session in Tokyo on Saturday, expressing deep concern over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's intentions to amend the country's pacifist constitution and criticizing her erroneous remarks on Taiwan.

Following the general election, Takaichi, who also serves as president of the Liberal Democratic Party, signaled a move toward constitutional revision, stating that conditions should be created for an early national referendum on amending the Constitution. The remarks have sparked concern among the public.

At the event, Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho Fukushima voiced strong opposition to the proposed revision of Japan’s pacifist constitution.

"I think Sanae Takaichi would do anything. I have a strong sense of crisis about this. No matter what, we must not allow Article 9 of Japan's pacifist constitution to be revised. I hope everyone will make real efforts for this," she said.

Beyond the proposed constitutional revision, participants at the meeting also criticized Takaichi's erroneous remarks on China's Taiwan region.

"When Takaichi made those erroneous remarks, I felt a shiver down my spine and wondered how someone could think that way. Everyone gathered here today shares the same feeling," a participant said.

"I feel very sorry (about her erroneous remarks). She should retract those words," another participant said.

In early November 2025, Takaichi said a "Taiwan contingency" could constitute what she called a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, remarks that many critics say reflect nostalgia for Japan's colonial past and an attempt to weaponize the Taiwan issue against China.

Japanese citizens voice concern over Takaichi's push for constitutional revision