ESSAY: Hard edge to China's soft power

The 2024 Spring Festival Gala on CCTV had something for everyone. Nubile dancers in gossamer gowns, cross-talking comics and real soldiers playing actors as they lovingly cradle their rifles on stage

Feb 11, 2024

You come for the music and dance but stay for the military display. The 2024 Spring Festival Gala on CCTV had something for everyone. Nubile dancers in gossamer gowns, cross-talking comics and real soldiers playing actors as they lovingly cradle their rifles on stage in a stern but loving manner.

There’s a soft side to China’s cultural production, too, though it might be argued the hard side is getting more play as conditions in the outside world get more vexing and the domestic economy get more desperate.

The spring festival lives up to its best self as holiday TV watching with its stunning dance numbers and dazzling special effects.

The wire-suspended goldfish dancers were spectacular, uncannily capturing a liquid sense of swimming pellucid waters.

Kids are kids, and a crowd-pleaser, though maybe they should go light on the lipstick

The spring festival blooms as do spring blossoms, and it’s fine national tradition.

Every corner of the country is represented in song and dance, and minorities are no exception, especially those culturally co-opted and recognized by Beijing.

Dilraba Dilmurat, a model of Uighur descent from Xinjiang, has a winning smile

The fest was festive and entertaining, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

China came alive with lights and fireworks to ring in the new lunar year.

Editor’s note:

Perhaps the most combustible mix of hard and soft culture over the lunar new year manifested itself in the joint fireworks display between Xiamen and nearby Jinmen island, which is part of Taiwan. Fireworks are fine and good, but if other types of explosive shells are released over these tension-fraught waters, the world as we know is bound to change for the worse.

If Saturday TV was saturated with soft focus Spring Festival footage, on Sunday it was a return to the more-or-less hard news, though the cheerful red theme persists.

What’s striking about the Sunday evening news broadcast, aside from the fact that the negatives of the outside world represented by foreign news are expunged in keeping with marking a happy, auspicious moment, is that the format of the news uncannily echoed that of the gala song and dance show.

Hard and soft culture, standing side by side, singing in harmony!

Xinwen Lianbo brings the viewer a hodgepodge of cultural imagery, ranging from repeat views of the CCTV fest, compliments about the same, and a report that gets up close and personal on an aircraft carrier with serious bomb power.

The through line tying things hard and soft together is the all-but mandatory personality cult tribute to the paramount one, who in his all-encompassing munificence and nationalistic vigilance embodies both the soft and the hard.

The top story is introduced with a driver’s seat view of the Xi-mobile in action.

Sure enough, the big man who’s name need not be uttered, is the star of the show. Note the summer clothing. Alas, another re-run. But who doesn’t like revisiting greatness? Xi gives tips to home-builders and brick-layers in the provinces, and the advice sticks.

Wait for the follow up. It’s like one of those real estate make-over TV specials where you get to see before and after of renovation at work, only here the magic juice is Xi Jinping Thought with Chinese characteristics for the New Era.

The winter snows have fallen. What better time for a home visit?

Hmm, wonder what’s in the fridge?

Snacks are served. Being at one with the people really works up a leader’s appetite.

From Heilongjiang to Hebei, humble villagers treasure their memories of meeting the paramount one.

A New Year’s update from Hebei. The villagers, having enjoyed the wise guidance of Xi are so happy, some of them are even getting married! Gongxi, gongxi!

The snow sculpture is eye-catching but looks sleepy.

The year of the dragon manifests itself.

Hands across the waters…

Spring festival was a lot of fun and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. But let us not forget those who defend our shores and vow to facilitate the return of lost-child Taiwan to the womb of the motherland.