Exhibition Dates: January 20, 2026 to March 20, 2026

Exhibition Venue: Halls 1 and 2, first floor of the CTCM

The Spring Festival is the most grand and joyous traditional holiday for the Chinese people, holding great significance in their lives. It serves as a shared spiritual home for the Chinese and is a vivid symbol of the ongoing development of Chinese civilization. Rooted in the simple lives of the people, the customs of the Spring Festival arise from cultural creativity and encompass traditional rituals, agricultural ceremonies, and various folk beliefs that offer comfort and express hopes. The festival embodies the longing for reunion and harmony, virtues of respecting the elderly and caring for the young, principles of friendly relations, and wisdom in living according to nature's rhythms. These elements reflect the deep cultural and emotional foundations of the festival, making it a source of vitality and resilience, and an important wellspring of national unity and cohesion.

Ba Jun Ying Chun by Shi Junfeng, Ke Shuli, Ke Fei

In December 2024, the Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year, was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. CTCM hosted the “Guo Nian: Exhibition of the Spring Festival”, which became a sensation in Beijing. For the 2026 Spring Festival (Year of the Horse), CTCM has planned the "Guo Nian: Bingwu Spring Festival Themed Exhibition" with new ideas, divided into four thematic sections.

The section "Evolution of Time" showcases the evolution of traditional calendar knowledge and New Year celebration customs; "Galloping Steeds" highlights the elegant and symbolic significance of horses in traditional culture through horse-related intangible heritage projects; "Food as Heaven" focuses on the comprehensive view of food, demonstrating the close relationship between intangible cultural heritage protection, Spring Festival customs, and food security through aspects like planting, storage, processing, and sharing; "Lights of Spring" presents the festive atmosphere of family joy with richly shaped and exquisitely crafted lanterns.

Long Ma Jing Shen by Wang Tianwen

Ta Xue Ying Rui by Ni Xiu Mei

Rui Qi Ying Men by Chen Dizhen

In the exhibition, the "Intangible Cultural Heritage New Year Gifts" market features products from 34 provincial-level administrative regions, intangible cultural heritage workshops from five provinces (municipalities), and six regions supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The market covers a wide range of areas and numerous intangible cultural heritage projects, offering a rich variety of products with a strong festive atmosphere. Visitors can find cherished intangible cultural heritage items from their hometowns and freely choose New Year gifts from all over the country.

Notably, several booths will have inheritors explain and demonstrate intangible cultural heritage skills, inviting visitors to participate in experiences. This allows visitors to feel the traditional customs, gifts, and festive spirit of the Spring Festival while purchasing New Year goods and gifts.