By Xu Liuliu and Chen Xi
Editor’s Note:
The Spring Festival, the most important traditional holiday of the Chinese nation, embodies the Chinese people’s cherished values of family reunion and bidding farewell to the old while welcoming the new. In December 2024, the successful inscription of the “Spring Festival” on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list highlights that it is not only a Chinese celebration but also a cultural treasure shared by all of humanity.
“The Spring Festival is a wonderful moment to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, always bringing new hope to the people.” This statement by Chinese President Xi Jinping captures the essence of Spring Festival culture. Xi has always attached great importance to traditional Chinese festivals and their cultural implications. On occasions such as the Spring Festival gathering, he has elaborated on the significance of Chinese culture, including the culture of the Spring Festival, and breathed new life into its meaning.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has emphasized the historical influence and significance of fine traditional Chinese culture, endowing it with contemporary relevance and promoting its creative transformation and innovative development.
In the article “Expand Research into the History of Chinese Civilization and Build a Stronger Sense of History and Cultural Confidence,” included in the fifth volume of the book series Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, Xi pointed out: “China’s long, extensive and profound civilization is one of the distinctive qualities of the Chinese nation. It underpins contemporary Chinese culture and creates a spiritual bond among all people of Chinese descent across the globe. It provides valuable resources and inspiration for China’s cultural innovation.”
Xi has also emphasized the need to “encourage exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.”
Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, the heritage of Chinese culture is shining with renewed brilliance as it is carried forward.
In the 21st installment of the special series “Decoding the Book Xi Jinping: The Governance of China,” the Global Times, along with the People’s Daily Overseas Edition, focuses on the values embedded in the Spring Festival, the most important traditional festival of the Chinese nation. We continue to invite Chinese and foreign scholars, translators of Xi’s works, practitioners with firsthand experience, and international readers to delve into how the historical evolution and cultural essence of the Spring Festival reflect the continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness, and peacefulness of Chinese civilization.
In the 20th installment of the “Practitioners’ Insights” column, the Global Times talks with Li Dongxia, who lives in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and has helped host 12 Spring Festival galas there for Chinese and international audiences, to explore the remarkable journey of the Spring Festival being transformed from a traditional Chinese celebration into a globally shared Intangible Cultural Heritage, which embodies the core philosophies of the Chinese nation such as the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature, the ideal of universal harmony, and the belief that family harmony brings prosperity.
As the Spring Festival approaches, the modern desert metropolis of Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), once again lights up with vibrant Chinese red hues. On February 5, the 12th UAE Chinese Spring Festival Gala concluded successfully, allowing its artistic director, Li Dongxia, to finally take a brief respite. Evolving from a small community stage to a cultural brand that has reached 77 countries and once attracted a global audience through live broadcasts on China Central Television, this event, also known as the “Dubai Spring Festival Gala,” reflects 12 years of dedication by Li, an overseas cultural advocate. It also highlights the remarkable journey of the Spring Festival being transformed from a traditional Chinese celebration into a globally shared Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Li Dongxia (front row, fourth from left) at this year’s Spring Festival gala Photo: Courtesy of Li Dongxia
Wisdom of cross-cultural dialogue
With the theme “Eternal Brilliance,” the Dubai Spring Festival Gala commemorated the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Red Army’s Long March while highlighting the zodiac theme of the Year of the Horse – a symbol of nobility and strength in Arab culture as well. The gala emphasized interaction and integration in its design, from the insightful presentation of the “Twelve Chinese Time Periods” to the erhu ensemble piece “Galloping Horses” and the song “Journey Home,” which incorporated elements of Minnan gezai (South Fujian ballads). Tradition was revitalized on stage in tangible ways. As the familiar melody of “Me and My Motherland” filled the air, the entire audience rose to their feet and sang in unison, voicing the hopes for the new year and the deep emotional bond to their homeland shared by overseas Chinese.
Recalling the scene that day, Li shared with the Global Times that both Chinese and other international attendees at the event were immersed in a unique atmosphere. “The Spring Festival embodies the core philosophies of the Chinese nation, such as the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature, the ideal of universal harmony, and the belief that family harmony brings prosperity. These ideals, in fact, reflect the shared values of all humanity.”
Li’s reflections on the value of the Spring Festival stem from her personal experiences overseas, and her study of the book series Xi Jinping: The Governance of China has further deepened her understanding. The fifth volume of the book series includes Chinese President Xi Jinping’s speech at the 2023 meeting on cultural inheritance and development, in which he pointed out: “Chinese civilization is distinguished by its inclusiveness. Rather than replacing diverse cultures with a single monoculture, Chinese civilization endeavors to integrate various cultures into a shared tapestry, resolving conflicts and forging consensus.”
On the stage of the Gala, there were not only outstanding performances by Chinese and Emirati artists but also wonderful programs selected from eight countries, including the US, Japan, and France. Over 500 performers and staff members crossed mountains and seas to gather in Dubai, celebrating the most important traditional festival of the Chinese nation together. “When eating grapes, don’t spit out the grape skins” – this familiar Chinese tongue twister was delivered with remarkable flair by a young Emirati man. The clapper talk performance New Voices of Clapper Talk, presented by teachers and students of the Confucius Institute at the University of Dubai, brought the institute’s classroom onto the stage, using traditional art forms to showcase the vibrant moments of Chinese language teaching in the UAE.
Li pointed out that awareness and participation in the Spring Festival among various sectors in Dubai has been steadily increasing, with a growing number of foreign faces appearing among the guests. “The successful inscription of the Spring Festival on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list holds truly special significance for us overseas Chinese. It demonstrates that the harmony and beauty of Chinese culture are widely recognized and embraced by the world.”
From Chinese festival to UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
In recent years, the global impact of the Spring Festival has continued to grow, transforming it into a widely accepted, recognized, and celebrated symbol of Chinese culture worldwide. The Spring Festival became a United Nations holiday in 2023 and was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024. With approximately one-fifth of the world’s population celebrating the Chinese New Year in various forms, the Spring Festival has truly become a global festival.
Li still vividly remembers the night of December 4, 2024, when she, along with all her fellow Chinese, eagerly awaited the announcement of the festival’s inscription to the UNESCO list. That evening, at the 19th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Asunción, Paraguay, “Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of traditional new year” was officially inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In Li’s view, the soul of the Spring Festival lies in the concept of “harmony.” This characteristic of “valuing peace and harmony” has become increasingly precious in today’s international context. In the article “Translate the Vision of a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity into Reality” from the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, President Xi emphasized, “We should remain committed to exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. One flower alone cannot make a beautiful spring; only the blossoming of a rich variety of flowers can bring spring to the global garden. Human civilization is colorful by nature. It is precisely because of their differences in history, culture and system that all countries should interact with one another, learn from each other, and advance together.” Li noted that the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind emphasizes the values of harmony and shared prosperity among humanity, while the core of Spring Festival culture is similarly reflected in the Global Civilization Initiative.
“On the stage of the Dubai Spring Festival Gala, people from various countries sing and dance together, sharing the joy of the Spring Festival. Amid the lively dragon and lion dances and the radiant festive lights, emotional resonance naturally arises. This serves as an excellent opportunity to foster people-to-people bonds among nations. The Chinese people are a peace-loving nation, and the Spring Festival is a practical platform for us to convey the message of peace to the world,” Li noted.
Mission to pass on Chinese culture
Despite having lived overseas for many years, Li has retained her deep passion for Chinese culture. As the artistic director of 12 consecutive “Dubai Spring Festival Gala” events, she sees it as her cultural mission to promote the excellence of traditional Chinese culture overseas, conveying the affection and blessings of overseas compatriots for their homeland.
Her father’s study was Li’s earliest classroom for literary and artistic enlightenment. When she journeyed overseas, her father’s parting words – “be upright in character and upright in work” – became a motto she has adhered to for decades in a foreign land. Looking back, Li noted that her father not only nurtured her aesthetic vision and artistic talent but also shaped her values, instilling in her a firm belief that culture can endure and be passed down through time.
In her early years of organizing events in Dubai, Li once noticed there were local Chinese children who could fluently sing the national anthems of foreign countries but were clueless about China’s national anthem. “They are Chinese sons and daughters – they should understand Chinese culture.” This experience strengthened Li’s belief in preserving and promoting Chinese culture.
In 2015, Li founded the UAE Qipao Association and organized the first “Qipao Spring Festival Gala.” She sees the qipao not only as traditional Chinese attire but also as a cultural symbol and spiritual emblem whose external elegance must be supported by inner cultivation. Therefore, she arranged for members to practice calligraphy and recite classical poetry, embodying the idea that “elegance stems from a mind enriched by poetry and literature.”
From then on, the scale of the gala continued to expand: the second edition incorporated performances from various sectors, while the third edition was renamed the “UAE Overseas Chinese Spring Festival Gala.” It has now grown into a grand cultural event involving participants from 77 countries, attracting 8,000 live audience members, and even setting a Guinness World Record, the People’s Daily Overseas Edition reported.
On the stage of the Dubai Spring Festival Gala, the program The Gathering of Sages depicted Confucius and Laozi meeting to explore the essence of Chinese culture, such as the idea that “Great virtue is like water.” Additionally, Timeless Heroic Spirit weaved together timeless verses from the greatest poets across dynasties, tracing 5,000 years of history. Meanwhile, dozens of traditional Chinese and Arab instruments performed together in harmony, paying tribute to the friendship between China and Arab nations built along the ancient Silk Road. Through these varied forms, these performances told stories of dialogue and mutual appreciation between civilizations.
“Inclusiveness and sincerity are what sustain my efforts to promote Spring Festival culture overseas,” Li told the Global Times. “Cultural outreach is not a one-way dissemination, but a process of bidirectional engagement.” The Dubai Spring Festival Gala reserves 20 to 30 percent of its program each year to showcase outstanding performances from other countries. “Diversity spurs interaction among civilizations, which in turn promotes mutual learning and their further development.”
In terms of narrative strategy, Li has developed the principle of “prioritize non-verbal communication to create emotional resonance.” She prioritizes visual languages such as dance, martial arts, and traditional instruments. For example, adapting the Legend of the White Snake into a ballet performance allows international audiences to understand it without explanations. In another performance, 60 actors use physical movements to interpret the ancient oracle bone script, showcasing the evolution of Chinese characters.
The main programs of the Dubai Spring Festival Gala focus on showcasing the profound history and splendid culture of China spanning 5,000 years. After 12 years, Li is gratified to see that the children who grew up alongside the gala “can recite dozens of classical poems and take pride in sharing their nation’s history and culture with people of other countries.”
Inheritance and relay
Although the influence of the Dubai Spring Festival Gala continues to grow, Li remains clear-minded: cultural inheritance is a relay race.
Whether it is the sensational hit performances of Chaoshan Yingge dance (dance to the hero’s song) in London or the overseas journey of the Zigong lantern festival, these traditional cultural activities have firmly captured the hearts of young audiences, winning their genuine affection. “The Spring Festival is both a ‘tradition’ for the Chinese people and a ‘celebration’ for the world,” Li noted. This cultural heritage, carrying peace and hope, is sure to inject a warm, enduring strength into building a community with a shared future for mankind.
