In a landmark move for greater inclusiveness, the China Media Group (CMG) will offer barrier-free broadcasts of its 2025 Spring Festival Gala tailored for over 45 million visually and hearing-impaired viewers for the first time.

These dedicated broadcasts will provide real-time program interpretation and detailed background narration, ensuring that everyone can fully appreciate the entertainment of this special program.

With less than three weeks to go, CMG held the second rehearsal of the gala on Friday to further fine tune the performances following the first rehearsal last Sunday.

The gala, also known as Chunwan in Chinese, has been regarded as a major cultural symbol for the traditional Lunar New Year celebrations in China. It has been broadcast live annually since 1983, and will be aired globally on Jan 28 this year, the eve of the Lunar Chinese New Year of the Snake.

The Spring Festival is the grandest traditional festival in China and an occasion for family reunion. It falls on Jan. 29 this year, ushering in the Year of the Snake, the 6th of the 12-year cycle of animals that appear in the Chinese Zodiac.

On Dec 4, 2024, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inscribed the Spring Festival and its social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, marking a global recognition of this vibrant celebration and cherished cultural tradition.