Yi Qunlin, a 58-year-old construction worker in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, recently received an invitation to join the audience of chunwan, also known as the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, on February 9 in Beijing. Watching the live TV show, which airs on each Chinese New Year Eve on China Central Television (CCTV), has become a tradition for tens of millions of Chinese families, to usher in the Chinese New Year. Since the first edition was broadcast in 1983, the program has developed to include diverse performances such as songs, dancing, cross-talk, acrobatics and traditional Chinese operas.
While most people watch the gala on screen, some guests are invited to watch it
