Classic excerpts from multiple opera genres were performed at the 2026 Spring Festival Gala on the night of Monday -- the Chinese New Year's Eve -- by a group of renowned artists and talented young children showcased the enduring vigor and vitality of China's operatic heritage.
Leading the performance was Tan Xiaozeng, the sixth-generation descendant of a renowned Peking Opera family that created the Tan School of Peking Opera, shared the stage with performers spanning four generations, elderly, middle-aged, young adults and children.
Tan and his fellow artists presented a classic excerpt from Dingjun Mountain, which tells the story of a battle that took place in the year 219, during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280 AD), vividly portraying the heroic spirit and vigor of the veteran general Huang Zhong.
A striking contrast unfolded on stage when five-and-a-half-year-old Yang Sikun appeared in full costume as a "mini General Huang Zhong."
His youthful voice, tender yet resonant and impassioned, earned enthusiastic applause from the audience. He performed an excerpt titled "In the Yellow Silk Tent."
"I am five and a half years old. Today I sang the excerpt 'In the Yellow Silk Tent.' The character I played is Huang Zhong. When I put on the costume, I felt very handsome, just like a great hero," Yang said.
To help the child accurately grasp the stylistic characteristics of the Tan School's interpretation of Dingjun Mountain, Tan Xiaozeng provided one-on-one coaching.
From hand gestures and stage poses to the nuances of vocal delivery, the veteran artist offered meticulous guidance.
"I believe we should indeed encourage our kids to have more exposure to our traditional Chinese culture and more exposure to Peking Opera to breed successors for Peking Opera," Tan said.
In the opera section performance, the veteran artists demonstrated undiminished passion and skills, while the young performers showcased their talent om opera.
In an excerpt from the Peking Opera "Selling Water", 60 kindergarten children sang and danced their way from the stage aisles into the audience, igniting the crowd's enthusiasm.
They were followed by Gu Wenyue, an 81-year-old Pingju Opera artist who was ushered to the center of the stage by three huadan (vivacious and unmarried female characters in Peking Opera).
Together they performed "Reciting the Names of Flowers", a lively and rhythmic piece celebrating blossoms in full bloom.
The gentle elegance of the veteran artist and the lively charm of the young performers created a memorable scene articulating the enduring charm of the opera.
"Seeing these children, I feel that our traditional opera is even more hopeful," Gu said.
"Inheritance means that our teachers teach Pingju Opera to us, and when we grow up, we will teach it to more children," said young Pingju performer Xia Yanxi.
"It is indeed very nice to enjoy traditional opera. I think when other children hear it, they will also like it very much," said Tian Mu, another young performer.
The Spring Festival Gala is a Chinese New Year special produced by China Media Group (CMG). It is broadcast annually on the eve of the Chinese New Year on its flagship CCTV-1 and internationally through the China Global Television Network. The Gala has the largest audience of any entertainment show in the world, and is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's most watched television program.
Veteran performers lead as young talents carry forward opera legacy in Spring Festival Gala
A landmark visa-free arrangement for British passport holders to enter China officially came into force on Tuesday, coinciding with the start of the Year of the Horse, with many believing the move will inspire more UK travelers to come and explore the wonders of China.
As China celebrates its Spring Festival, the most important annual holiday marking the Chinese New Year, British visitors arriving in Beijing on Monday were given a special surprise as they were invited to take part in a lucky draw, with some touristy prizes on offer.
Travelers were encouraged to randomly pick an envelope, the contents of which included a range of gift packages such as tickets to the famous Great Wall or Peking Opera performances, as well as other curated holiday routes, giving international visitors an instant invitation to join in with China's festive celebrations.
"I like how everyone is really friendly. And the food is really great. And I love history, so I'm going to the Forbidden City," said Amy, one of the newly-arrived tourists.
Meanwhile, Kaelan Meehan, another British tourist, revealed he has a packed schedule ahead in the coming days. He said he will be heading to the far northeastern city of Qiqihar to visit his wife's family, before heading nearly 3,000 kilometers south to take in the stunning scenery of the UNESCO World Heritage Listed site of Zhangjiajie in central China's Hunan, which is known for inspiring the blockbuster 'Avatar' movie series.
"We are going to Qiqihar, which is where the family is, spending a few days there. And then going to Zhangjiajie to do some sightseeing. And then Beijing to see the Summer Palace, which we were planning on, which is good, and then the Great Wall," said Meehan.
The warm welcome for these arrivals in Beijing comes alongside new travel facilitation measures which should allow more UK travelers to experience China.
China's Foreign Ministry announced that starting Tuesday, ordinary passport holders from Britain will be eligible for visa-free entry for stays of up to 30 days, for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges or transit. The policy will remain in effect until the end of this year.
It came following British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's four-day official visit to China in January, which marked the first trip by a UK prime minister to the country in eight years, and saw the two sides pledging to strengthen bilateral ties.
For many British travelers, the visa-free announcement brings greater convenience when planning future trips, while officials are also optimistic the move will spur greater enthusiasm for travel.
"I think it's really exciting. I think a lot of people might [find it] daunting thinking about going through a whole visa process just to like travel to a different country. So being able to travel, I think, for 30 days without a visa will be really enticing for people from the UK to want to go and visit China for the first time," said Leah, a tourist who was set to depart from London.
"I believe this visa-free policy will greatly encourage more British people to visit China for tourism, business, and study, boosting people-to-people exchanges and strengthening the foundation of our bilateral ties," said Zhang Li, director of the China National Tourist Office in London.
China has been expanding its visa-waiver policies in recent years to facilitate greater travel convenience, boost international tourism and promote people-to-people exchanges, with the UK and Canada now being added to the growing list of countries eligible for the 30-day visa-free entry.
Beijing welcomes British tourists as visa-free agreement takes effect
Beijing welcomes British tourists as visa-free agreement takes effect
