February 13, 2026 - Reporters have learned from the Directing Team that the “New Year, New Chapter” 2026 Hainan Online Spring Festival Gala has officially started its intensive recording session at the 1,000-square-meter studio of the Hainan Broadcasting Station. As the first major online cultural event since the island-wide special customs operations activated in the Hainan Free Trade Port, the gala centers on the theme of “A Global Reunion of the Hainanese Community”. By bringing together Hainanese at home and abroad, joined by international friends, the event has created a Spring Festival feast that interweaves nostalgia with the vibrancy of the new era immersing Hainan in profound cultural atmosphere in the opening year of the “15th Five-Year Plan” period.
The gala kicked off with the performance of festive songs and dances entitled “Spring Festival Overture”. Hosts from the Hainan Broadcasting Station took the stage together with guest performer Zyro Wong (a fellow Hainanese from Malaysia) for a joint singing performance. Dancers in stunning costumes moved gracefully amid traditional decorations such as red lanterns and Chinese knots, instantly energizing the atmosphere. At the center of the stage, an ultra-wide curved LED screen came alive with iconic Hainan scenes, from the historic Qilou arcade streets to the tropical charm of coconut groves and ocean breezes, seamlessly blending Hainan’s natural and cultural beauty with the dynamic energy of the Hainan Free Trade Port’s development.
Building on this vibrant stage setting, the gala unfolded in two major chapters: “Heritage·Inclusivity” and “Openness Renewal,” bringing Hainan’s traditional culture together with its modern landscape. In the first chapter, “Heritage·Inclusivity,” ocarina master Zhou Zilei performed melodious tunes accompanied by an AI-powered visual narrative that recreated the stories of Qiaopi (remittance letters from overseas Chinese) from the 1950s to the 1970s. The situational dance “Nostalgia in the Silver Letter” conveyed the poignant stories of family correspondences which were considered as valuable as silver. The Hainan Opera (Qiong Opera) “Melodies Across Generations”, brought together seniors, adults, and children as performers, performing classic excerpts such as “Poem on a Red Leaf”. Wu Kaiying, curator of the Hainan Opera Museum, presented a Ming Dynasty tri-colored jar depicting Hainan Opera figures, vividly bringing the 440-year history of Qiong Opera to life through this artifact.
In the second chapter, “Openness·Renewal,” the flash-mob song and dance performance “Charming Hainan” was led by Xu Kaixin, a Hainanese student from Macao SAR currently attending Tsinghua University. The performance portrayed the emotional connections between the younger generation and their ancestral homeland through upbeat rhythms. During the “Taste of Hainan” episode, Hainanese from Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan Region, and Malaysia came together with international friends from Russia and the United States to experience and share local delicacies, including Wenchang Chicken, Steamed Giant Flower Crab, and Pan-fried Spanish Mackerel. Tommy, an American participant, displayed his Chinese Permanent Resident ID Card, expressing his sense of belonging and affirming, “Hainan is my home.” The original English song DorHit DorHit, which incorporates elements of the Hainanese dialect, was performed collaboratively by a Cuban singer and native Hainan musicians, seamlessly blending international flair with authentic local flavor.
Through real-time live connections, the gala also presented shows from Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, Taiwan Region, and overseas locations such as Malaysia, allowing Spring Festival greetings from the global Hainanese to transcend spatial and temporal boundaries to gather in Hainan. Additionally, the Wuzhishan Children’s Choir performed the classic Hainanese song “Long Time No See”. Their crystal-clear and innocent voices conveyed deep nostalgia and affection for local culture, making this performance a major a highlight of the evening.
According to sources, starting from February 18, the gala will be broadcast globally by the New Media Center of Hainan Broadcasting Station, including international platforms via the @Hainan Touch and @Hainan Today accounts on Facebook, X, and YouTube.
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