The annual Spring Festival Gala hosted by China Central Television has become an important part of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration since 1983, when it was first televised live at home and abroad.

由中央電視臺舉辦的一年一度的“春節聯歡晚會”自1983年首次在國內外進行實況轉播以來，一直被視為是農歷新年慶祝活動中的一個重要組成部分。

The CCTV Spring Festival Gala, 春晚 (chūn wǎn) for short, intermingles songs, dances, comic sketches, opera and folk arts. Harmony and reunion are the two perennial themes of the gala. With a cheerful atmosphere, laughter and applause permeate from start to finish. The gala usually starts at 8 p.m. on New Year's Eve and lasts about four hours. The program's TV ratings have ranked first among China's variety show programs over the past two decades.

“央視春節聯歡晚會”簡稱“春晚”，它是一個集歌舞、喜劇小品、戲曲、民間藝術表演為一體的大型綜藝節目。和諧、團聚是晚會的兩大主題。伴隨著祥和的氣氛，晚會自始至終歡聲笑語，掌聲雷動。晚會通常在農歷大年除夕八時開始，持續大約四個小時。在過去的二十多年中，“春晚”一直位居全國綜藝節目收視率之首。

But it is difficult to cater to all audience's tastes. Each year the gala hopes to incorporate new ideas and surprise people. Both directors and performers rack their brains during writing and rehearsals. It has become a big challenge for CCTV and its creative staff.

然而，眾口難調。每年觀眾們都希望“春晚”能夠有所創新，能夠帶給人們驚喜。導演和演員們絞盡腦汁地進行節目的編排。“春晚”已成為央視以及節目主創人員所面臨的一個巨大挑戰。

Comedian Zhao Benshan has become very popular in recent years. Although some say they are bored with his performance, the short sketch has remained the most popular part of the gala for audiences.

喜劇演員趙本山近年來已經成為中國家喻戶曉的人物。盡管有些觀眾不喜歡他的表演風格，但喜劇小品依然是“春晚”中最受歡迎的節目。

In recent years, local TV stations have begun to host their own variety shows, which have met the growing cultural needs of audiences. One successful example is Hunan TV's gala, which now ranks second.

近年來，地方電視臺也紛紛開始推出自己的品牌綜藝節目，這也滿足了觀眾日益增長的文化需求。一個成功的范例便是“湖南衛視”，它的綜藝節目收視率目前在國內僅次于央視。

Another new type of show is the shanzhai (copycat) Spring Festival Gala Show. It is a live, unpolished performance by non-professionals that airs online during the CCTV gala.

另一種新型節目是 “山寨春晚”的出現。“山寨春晚”由普通民眾生動、本色的表演節目組成，與“央視春晚”同時在互聯網上進行實況轉播。

Whether they watch the CCTV gala or its upstart rivals, Chinese people will surely enjoy themselves on the Lunar New Year's Eve.

無論是觀看“央視春晚”還是觀看其競爭對手的節目，中國人無疑都會盡情地享受一個快樂的除夕。

（China.org.cn 李京榮 譯）