Show must go on as Children's Day gala adapts to pandemic

As an annual event to celebrate Children's Day in China on Monday, China Media Group－the country's largest broadcaster－usually holds a dazzling, annual celebrity-studded gala.

But the "tradition", which has been kept for 35 years, has been forced to adapt as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead of gathering crowds to dance and sing on the stage, this year's gala, which will air on Monday, will employ mostly prerecorded content such as poem recitations, says Xu Beibei, who has served as the gala's chief director for three consecutive years.

Xu says that she believes such a change could also have its positives－it could expand the stage digitally, inviting more children to join the production than ever.

China's schools often start a new spring semester after the winter vacation, but most students were forced to take a much longer "holiday" due to the outbreak.

While many of the country's pupils have returned to campus, albeit with face masks and obeying strict social distancing protocols, some cities, such as Beijing, have yet to see a general reopening of schools.

"The outbreak was an unprecedented experience and it was very hard, even for adults, let alone for children. During the most critical time, which lasted for almost three months, children were unable to play outside and couldn't meet their friends," says Xu.

Setting a goal to comfort and encourage the nation's next generation, the show has invited six celebrities who are considered as the icons of our era.

Among them are top epidemiologists Zhong Nanshan and Li Lanjuan, both household names since their heroic efforts in fighting COVID-19 on the front lines became known; agronomist Yuan Longping, a pioneer of hybrid rice; 95-year-old war hero Zhang Fuqing; sports legend Lang Ping, chief coach of China women's volleyball team; and Wang Yaping, the first Chinese female astronaut who gave science lessons during her space flight on the Shenzhou X manned mission in 2013.

Several of the six marquee guests will answer questions from curious children via remote video connection, which will be a highlighted section of the show, in order to help children build values and goals for their future, reveals director Xu.

In addition to warm greetings from the role models, the show will also have narrated stories, varying from real-life tales about people's fight against COVID-19 to fairy tales selected from Chinese children's text books.

For instance, actress Han Xue will retell the story of The Snow Child, a renowned fairy tale wrote by novelist Ji Hong, which fictionalizes that a snow boy sacrifices his life to rescue his friend, a little rabbit, from a house that has caught on fire.

The program will use virtual-reality technology to build a world of ice and snow that is also expected to create a sense of nostalgia in parents, too, as it evokes memories of its classic 1980 animated adaptation.

"The visual tone is set in pink and blue, which will not make children feel sad but help them see a glimmer of hope," says Xu, adding that she hopes the story is reminiscent of those COVID-19 fighters who risked their lives for the sake of others' safety.

My Father and Mother, a picture-book anthology specially created for the gala, has invited eight children to respectively narrate one story each about their parents, who became superheroes to them for their devotion in the battle against COVID-19.

Additionally, four stars－actresses Guan Xiaotong and Ju Jingyi, heartthrob Wang Yuan, and ethnic Mongolian singer Ayanga－will team up to consecutively sing the theme songs of animated hits, including Super Wings and Panda and Little Mole.

Renowned pianist Lang Lang is also invited to perform a solo of Azaleas, the theme song of the 1974 classic children's film Sparkling Red Star.

Other celebrities set to join in the gala also include actress Tong Liya, who will narrate the story of The Plump Hands, and singer Cai Guoqing alongside his son who will perform a musical story which reminds youth to cherish food and the work of others.

As this year marks the culmination of China's goal to comprehensively build an economically better society, which was initiated in 2017, the gala has invited children from far-flung areas such as Shibadong village in Hunan province and Daliang Mountains in Sichuan province that have lifted themselves out of poverty.

"We hope the show will bring children warmth, joy and power," says Xu.

This year's Children's Day gala, named Our Festival, airs during prime time on China Media Group's eight channels and platforms, including CCTV-1 and CCTV-14.