Lao News Agency

Inside China’s biggest show: What it says about the country

For millions of people in China, Chinese New Year’s Eve begins the same way: a long journey home, a table slowly filling with dishes, and conversations that stretch late into the night. It’s the one evening of the year when distance shrinks - between cities, generations, and busy lives. Then, at 8 p.m., something else happens. A familiar opening melody fills living rooms across the country. The Spring Festival Gala begins. This live television show, broadcast every Chinese New Year’s Eve since 1983, is recognized by Guinness World Records as the most-watched annual television programme on the planet. The gala of music, laughter, and performing arts reaches far beyond China, lighting up screens from airports to shopping centres in over 80 countries.