By 2012, the Year of the Dragon, CCTV Spring Festival Gala had already spent 30 years accompanying us through New Year's Eve night. It has long been preserved in all of our memories. Judging from last night's performance, the director team led by Ha Wen effectively eliminated the "vulgarity" that had been criticized in recent years. One could say that the 30-year-old Spring Festival Gala finally presented a "hexagram" of "a dragon without a head" (from the I Ching, this hexagram means seeing a group of dragons flying freely and vigorously throughout the universe without any claiming to be the leader, which is an auspicious sign). The many programs each had their own characteristics but were still combined and connected in order, giving a sense of "great auspiciousness."
**First Breakthrough: Fewer large-scale song and dance performances**
The number of song and dance performances in the Dragon Year Spring Festival Gala reached more than 20, but viewers with "density phobia" did not witness scenes that would make them uncomfortable. This was because throughout the entire gala, only about five programs utilized a large number of dancers - which was necessary for creating a festive atmosphere. The rest of the singing segments were extremely "clean" and simple.
**Second Breakthrough: Elimination of "folk song medleys"**
In recent years, one of the most frustrating aspects for audiences was the folk song medleys. Every year, after the clock struck midnight or even before it, groups of folk singers would come out to perform a single song.
However, in the Dragon Year Spring Festival Gala, there wasn't a single "folk song medley." This move can be described as bold and decisive. Ha Wen openly hinted from the beginning that she would eliminate "medleys," meaning she had to withstand significant pressure to satisfy the audience. However, judging from last night's performance, she provided a perfect answer. After canceling the folk song medleys, the carefully selected solo folk songs stood out even more. Artists like Song Zuying, Tan Jing, Jiang Dawei, and Zhang Ye all performed with their own styles and levels. Cancelling the large medleys undoubtedly also showed respect for these excellent performing artists.
**Third Breakthrough: Removal of all commercial advertisements**
The CCTV Spring Festival Gala is the world's highest-rated variety show and has been recorded in the Guinness World Records. One can imagine how much "business opportunity" this single evening holds; its advertising value is astonishing. In the early years, the gala could easily earn several billion RMB in hard advertising revenue in one night.
However, CCTV made a huge sacrifice regarding the Dragon Year Spring Festival Gala. They took strong measures - completely removing all advertising elements. Their goal was to give the audience a clean and enjoyable program, allowing everyone to celebrate the New Year together. Last night, the audience witnessed firsthand that from the start at eight o'clock until the end of the entire gala, not a single advertisement appeared.
**Fourth Breakthrough: Promotion of new faces for the Spring Festival Gala**
There are quite a few iconic figures in the Spring Festival Gala, such as Zhao Benshan, Huang Hong, Zhou Tao, Zhu Jun, etc. These actors' annual appearances on the gala have indeed been loved by the audience, but due to appearing too many times, they have been categorized as "old faces" of the Spring Festival Gala. After the gala became a kind of "routine," they were even pointed out by some viewers as reasons for criticizing the gala as "stereotypical."
After taking over the Spring Festival Gala, Chief Director Ha Wen conveyed the message externally - the gala welcomes good works, regardless of whether they are new or old faces. Therefore, under this highly artistic standard, there were two explosive news items in the Dragon Year Spring Festival Gala - Zhao Benshan resigned due to illness, and Zhou Tao did not host. However, judging from last night's overall performance of the language category programs, the injection of fresh blood from "Happy Mahua" was like a refreshing breeze, changing the comedy model created by Zhao Benshan in the past. As a result, the entire Spring Festival Gala stage had more possibilities. The dramatic style comedy full of drama flavor from "Happy Mahua" gave the audience a different kind of joy. Additionally, the traditional closing song "Unforgettable Tonight" was announced to be missing this year, which added some "new touches" to the Dragon Year Spring Festival Gala.
**Fifth Breakthrough: A 360-degree transformation of the stage**
It is no exaggeration to say that the stage of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala is the best and most advanced among all national stages. Although the chief designer of the stage design, Chen Yan, can still bring very striking visual effects every year, it is inevitable to feel a sense of "repetition." Under such circumstances, the stage transformation of the Dragon Year Spring Festival Gala can be described as a "360-degree radical change."
The Spring Festival Gala is held annually in Studio No. 1 of CCTV, which is the largest studio of CCTV, covering a total area of 1,800 square meters. In previous years, this Studio No. 1 was divided into two major parts, one part being a slightly smaller audience seating area, and the other part being a larger stage. However, the Dragon Year Spring Festival Gala underwent a 360-degree transformation, with the entire Studio No. 1 being renovated. The stage extended into the audience seating area. Moreover, unlike previous years where the stage was semi-closed, this year's stage was entirely open, closely connected to the round-table audience seating areas on both sides, making the Spring Festival Gala more festive.
**Sixth Breakthrough: More approachable lines, less bureaucratic tone**
The program attributes of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala determine that it cannot purely entertain. All grand themes must be clearly expressed through the gala, undoubtedly squeezing out a lot of entertainment space. This "latent" height has made directors of all previous editions lament that "the Spring Festival Gala is difficult to organize." Despite the Dragon Year Spring Festival Gala still retaining these attributes, the host's connecting words were carefully worked on, introducing some more approachable changes.
For example, this year's gala no longer features deliberately emotional topics or overly sentimental stories meant to make people cry. Instead, they are replaced by some light-hearted and pleasant small segments. For instance, Li Yong telling children the legend of "Nian" at the round table; when the clock struck midnight, instead of the hosts collectively saying various formal blessings to the nationwide audience, a five-year-old child opened the door to the Year of the Dragon, and the hosts humorously joked, "This is better; we don't have to endure the 'black three minutes' anymore."
**Seventh Breakthrough: Less vulgarization, more aesthetic appeal**
As the "new custom" of the Spring Festival, the CCTV Spring Festival Gala's vulgarity has become a topic criticized by many scholars in recent years. From this perspective, this year's Spring Festival Gala can be said to have achieved remarkable success in reducing "vulgarity."
In the song and dance category programs of the Dragon Year Spring Festival Gala, there were no more vulgar medleys. Instead, some singers with personal styles were chosen, such as Sa Dingding, who has a niche appeal. After reducing the large-scale dances with crowds of people jumping wildly, the Spring Festival Gala presented Yang Liping's new work and ballet performances by the famous Russian dance troupe, etc. Also, Han Geng specially created a modern song and dance program, all filled with a fashionable and urban atmosphere. Additionally, worth mentioning is that in the selection of language category programs, the overall quality of the sketches and crosstalk in the Dragon Year improved significantly. Some sketches were more like theater pieces, with theatrical performance significance. One can say that compared to previous years, the programs of the Dragon Year Spring Festival Gala were more artistic and aesthetically pleasing.
**Change**
Mixed combinations were stunningly impressive, and cross-boundary collaborations brought new ideas.
This year's Spring Festival Gala featured several unconventional programs. "Mixing and matching" was a major trend this year. Having hosts guest-star in sketches is no longer novel, but this year saw true mixing and matching. For example, the first eye-catching highlight of the entire gala: Wang Lihong and Li Yundi, two idol-type geniuses, "dueling pianos." Two pianos, two festive red outfits, two handsome men from different fields, playing the same piece "Golden Snake Dance," not only creating a festive atmosphere but also showcasing different program creativity. In terms of style, the popular genius Wang Lihong was no less talented than the classical prince Li Yundi. As their rhythm got faster and faster, it seemed they were engaged in an intense duel. Subsequently, Wang Lihong's rock version of "Descendants of the Dragon" brought the atmosphere of the Dragon Year to a boiling point. The brilliant "mixing and matching" of these two handsome men still remained within the music field, while the ensemble crosstalk "Small Choir" was a "cross-boundary" collaboration between art forms and music. Crosstalk actors and singing actors Wang Xiongwei, Tong Tiexin, Lu Jihong, Liu Hegang integrated music with humor, making the somewhat dry form of crosstalk compared to sketches lively and rich.
**Cuteness**
Not competing with grand spectacles, but winning with freshness
This year's Spring Festival Gala started off uniquely, seemingly having a bit of romance in it, given the numerous husband-wife duos on stage. A golden dragon traveled through time to appear on site, with a five-year-old boy Deng Minghe reciting nursery rhymes leading into the opening song and dance. Couples like Sha Yi and Hu Ke, Chen Yufan and Bai Baihe, Zhang Weijian and Zhang Qian, performed "Small New Year's Greetings" and "Tea Picking Dance" as "New Year's Songs" to warmly open the entire gala, creating a harmonious and joyful atmosphere. Actually, don't forget that this year's director Ha Wen and host Li Yong, two key creators, are also a husband-wife duo. Besides husband-wife pairs, there were also "family mobilizations," such as Hu Jun bringing his son Hu Baoshan onto the stage, and "Spring Festival Gala newcomer" Wang Luodan even bringing her parents and family to the scene. This year's Spring Festival Gala also eliminated large-scale folk song choirs and all lucrative advertisements, not competing with grand spectacles or old routines, but winning with freshness.
**Veterans**
Familiar faces remain, large choirs evoke nostalgia
For a gala with a 30-year history, "tradition" remains indispensable. Feng Gong's pulling relatives for intimacy, Huang Hong's starting with three half-sentences, Niu Li's spicy and kind daughter-in-law, Cai Ming's voice and appearance crossing space and time... These are the "basic actions" of the Spring Festival Gala. Additionally, the lush New Year's song choir is still indispensable. In the song medley "Tribute to 30 Years" performed by Jin Meier, Fei Xiang, Wei Wei, Wu Xiubo, Li Gu1, Zhang Mingsen, Cai Guoqing, Wang Luodan, the repertoire was quite extensive, including classics like "A Fire in Winter," "Clouds of Hometown," "Love's Contribution," "Often Go Home and Visit," "Qianmen Remembrance of Big Bowl Tea," "My Chinese Heart," etc., reappearing. Though still resembling a quick-changing lineup of large choirs, the inclusion of actors Wu Xiubo and Wang Luodan prevented monotony.
**Secret**
Liu Qian with Dong Qing, still unbeatable
Liu Qian is undoubtedly the "peak" of the Spring Festival Gala's traditional magic program. Returning to the gala this year may lack novelty, but his immense popularity remains undiminished. Still performing close-up magic, with partner Dong Qing still acting as the "stooge," no wonder Liu Qian jokingly referred to Dong Qing as the "Tower-Bearing Heavenly King," even sarcastically suggesting she could open a "Stooge Nursery" after the Spring Festival Gala. Even the warm-up small magic trick of hiding balls in cups showcased Liu Qian's fast hands, captivating the audience's attention. Coupled with his eloquent tongue-twisting commentary, the audience was quickly drawn into his "world of miracles." Next, his main prop this year, the mirror, became the star, drinking coffee in the mirror, the words on the cards strangely reversing in the mirror, changing pastries in the mirror... However, before the program ended, magic enthusiasts were already busy exchanging secrets on Weibo.
**Stars**
An unusually high number of idols, countless stars
The Spring Festival Gala consistently gathers the most popular stars of the year as its biggest theme. Chen Kun's "Haven't Been Home for a Long Time" and other singles impressed the audience. Besides actors coming to guest-star, idols in the music industry with countless fans, such as Han Geng and Charlene Choi, were truly selected based on their popularity. Of course, the biggest star and most anticipated act was undoubtedly Wang菲 and Eason Chan's collaboration on "Because of Love." Dressed in red clothing with a red hat, Wang菲, and in a black suit with a red flower, Eason Chan, looked visually harmonious. In terms of performance, apart from perfection-seeking fans pointing out on Weibo that Wang菲's voice was somewhat unstable and didn't reach her best condition, the duo's cooperation was impeccable. The final scene of the two gradually walking closer and shoulder-to-shoulder finishing the entire song became one of the most beautiful classic moments of the entire gala.
**Recollection**
Uncle Benshan, sorry, we almost forgot you
The new group "Happy Mahua" was quite active throughout the entire gala. There were outstanding performances in the sketches "Today's Happiness," "The Law Will Prevail," and "Interview." "Happy Mahua" indeed brought happiness; these "newcomers" may not have great fame, but they surpassed in lacking artificiality. The program concepts were fresh, and the jokes kept coming. And due to Zhao Benshan's absence, the sketch "Struggle" in the language category, which was "anchored," received praise from the audience for its new faces, new segments, and new feelings. Cao Yunjin and Liu Yuntian's performances had a four-two-leveraged effect, with topics returning to the "things around us" that crosstalk had deviated from for a long time. The previously highly anticipated Guo Donglin's sketch "Interview" told a life snippet between the store manager and the interviewee. This program similarly became the most concentrated laugh point and most praised sketch in a Spring Festival Gala without Zhao Benshan. Overall, the level of this year's language category programs in the Spring Festival Gala can be considered top-notch, just as some viewers joked: Uncle Benshan, sorry, we almost forgot you. Of course, many nostalgic netizens expressed that "without Zhao Benshan, it always feels like something is missing."