China Media Group (CMG)'s 2026 Mid-Autumn Festival Gala was aired at the prime viewing time on Friday, highlighting family bonds, patriotism and nostalgia with a lineup of diverse performances.
The annual gala broadcast, also known as "Qiuwan" in Chinese, was recorded in Huainan City, east China's Anhui Province, the birthplace of the ancient text recording the legend of Chang'e flying to the moon.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the inclusion of the Mid-Autumn Festival in China's first national list of intangible cultural heritage.
Unfolding in three chapters, the gala centered on the cultural significance of the Mid-Autumn moon and featured traditional art forms including Huagudeng folk dance, shadow puppetry and tofu banquets, presented in more interactive and contemporary ways.
The second chapter themed "Stars Within Reach" opened with a song adapted from the classical poem Autumn Evening in the Mountains, by Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Wang Wei. The melody carried the audience into the quiet beauty of a rain-washed mountain village on a late autumn evening, setting a serene tone for the night.
Two other melodies trace the lingering homesickness of those far from home with gentle vocals. Four Nostalgic Rhymes was sung by Taiwan singer-songwriter Ara Kimbo and mainland singer Bai Jugang. Brewing Tea Beneath the Moon, the theme song of the acclaimed Chinese film Dear You, was performed by singer Chen Chusheng.
The film, known in Chinese as "Love Letters to Grandma," centers on remittance letters that overseas Chinese used to stay connected with their families back home.
With the melody of Together Again, the theme song from the TV drama Silent Honor, and The Season of the Wind, a classic Cantonese pop, the gala evokes nostalgia, longing, and cherished memories while celebrating the warmth of family reunion under the full moon.
The gala was broadcast live globally on various CMG TV channels, including CCTV-1, CCTV-3 and CCTV-4, as well as on new media and overseas social media platforms. It was also available on mainstream media outlets in other countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Friday this year. Around China, people celebrate the day by gathering for moon-gazing, eating mooncakes, and lighting colorful lanterns.
CMG Mid-Autumn Festival Gala highlights reunion, patriotism, nostalgia
