Fujian Spring Festival Gala bridges Taiwan Strait and Southeast Asia
Under the theme of "Winds Across the Miles, Spring Light We Share", the 2026 Fujian Spring Festival Gala dazzled audiences on Tuesday. For the first time, the gala linked China's Fujian province, the Taiwan region and Malacca in Malaysia in a tri-location broadcast.
The event highlighted Fujian's core place on the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road and as a model zone for cross-Strait integration, while showcasing the enduring vitality of Chinese culture across oceans and generations.
As the "first home" for Taiwan compatriots and businesses on the Chinese mainland, Fujian shares close geographic and ancestral ties with the Taiwan region. As the spiritual homeland for millions of overseas Chinese of Fujian descent, it also maintains long-lasting bonds with Southeast Asia.
On stage, dynamic ribbon screens and modular display panels flowed seamlessly between scenes: the red-brick houses of southern Fujian, the neon skyline of the Taipei 101 skyscraper and Malacca's bustling Jonker Street.
When Quanzhou's Song Jiang Battle Formation, Taiwan's Douzhen Drum performance and Malaysia's 24 Festive Drums thundered together on stage, shared bloodlines pulsed in rhythmic unison.
Yang Pin-hua, the Taiwan host, said that in Fuzhou he could enjoy his favorite Taipei-style braised pork rice, while in Taipei he could savor authentic Fuzhou fish balls and rouyan, dumplings stuffed and wrapped with pork.
Malaysian host Juin Teh said that every time she saw the porcelain carving and swallowtail ridges atop Fujian-style houses in Malacca, she felt the protection of her ancestors.
Each song and dance carried its own narrative thread, while a series of dramatic vignettes deepened the theme of reunion, echoing the Spring Festival tradition of family togetherness.
The audio-visual piece "Reunion" told the story of Fuzhou-born hero Wu Shi, who was martyred on Taiwan, and his daughter. An old ferry ticket and a calligraphy scroll bearing the character "Home" were highlighted, while on stage, Lyu Chenyue, who played the daughter of Wu Shi in the TV series "Silent Honor", sang a Fujian lullaby, journeying from childhood confusion to understanding her father's sacrifice.
At the Malacca venue, the story of Gan Tian Loo and his father, who preserved a centuries-old Chinese heritage street and its traditions, offered a vivid testament to the enduring spirit of Fujianese communities abroad — rooted in their origins while building bridges between cultures.
Malaysian singer Ah Niu's medley of "Rasa Sayang" and "Peach Blossoms Bloom" blended 24 Festive Drums, Peranakan dance, high-pole lion dance, Chinese martial arts and dragon dance — expressing both Malaysian Chinese vitality and their enduring nostalgia.
The song "Ningxia" marked the 30th anniversary of Fujian–Ningxia collaboration and cross-Strait bonds. Originally composed by Taiwan musician Lee Cheng-fan after visiting Ningxia, it was reinterpreted by Fujian-born actress Yao Chen and children from Minning No 1 Primary School. As the song concluded, teachers from Xiamen University's volunteer program joined in, uniting the Chinese nation in shared sentiment.
In 2025, the song "Calm and Composed" went viral for its breezy cross-Strait optimism. For Tuesday's gala, its creator Wang Bo produced a special version with Xiamen's Black Cat Cross-Strait Youth Band — blending landscapes and youthful voices from both sides of the Strait into one harmonious chorus of reunion.
The gala was well received by Chinese communities around the world, with Malaysian Ambassador to China Dato' Norman Muhamad calling the event a "cultural bridge" that further strengthened ties between the two nations.
