CCTV gala's branch venues prove hit with tourists
China DailyTourists visit a scenic area in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. China's annual Spring Festival TV gala has sparked a flurry of interest in travel to the four cities featured as branch venues during the extravaganza. On Friday, Lunar New Year's Eve, the cities of Shenyang in Liaoning province, Changsha in Hunan province, Xi'an in Shaanxi province, and Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, along with the main venue in Beijing, held a cross-city interactive Spring Festival Gala, live on China Central Television. At the Shenyang branch venue of the Spring Festival Gala, a performance featuring the suona, a traditional woodwind instrument, and a piano duet, a contrasting combination of northeastern folk songs and modern rap, along with the unique snow and ice scenery, brought the festive atmosphere to a climax. The Xi'an branch venue combined tradition and modernity, presenting a millennium-spanning poetic duet to the audience, allowing them to immerse themselves in the unique Lunar New Year atmosphere of the ancient city of Xi'an.