Beneath the illuminated silhouette of the Eiffel Tower, the 2026 Paris Spring Festival gala took center stage on Tuesday, bringing a vibrant blend of Chinese tradition and French flair to the heart of the city.

Supported by the Chinese Embassy in France, the gala gathered 500 distinguished guests from the cultural and artistic circles of both nations to usher in the Year of the Horse.

The evening was a masterclass in cultural harmony, featuring a diverse lineup that bridged the gap between East and West. From the soaring notes of soprano Wu Lin's Spring Ballet to a soulful French interpretation of the Chinese classic Woman Flower by Marine de Nicola, the stage at the Eiffel Tower Theatre became a space for genuine artistic dialogue. Modernity also shared the spotlight, with the audience particularly captivated by the Lingxi X2 robot from Shanghai, which performed a futuristic dance alongside a group of French children, symbolizing the intersection of technology and humanity.

Addressing the audience, Deng Li, Chinese ambassador to France, highlighted the deepening cultural ties between the two nations.

"As China's most important festival, the Spring Festival is a bond of emotion, symbolizing reunion, hope, and rebirth," Deng said.

"The horse in Chinese culture represents vitality and progress, implying courage and success."

Deng added that the Spring Festival belongs not only to China but has become an increasingly important window for the world to understand Chinese culture. Over the years, Spring Festival celebrations have gained great popularity in France, becoming a beautiful landscape in Sino-French cultural exchanges.

The performance met with an enthusiastic response from the audience. Many French attendees noted that this was their first time experiencing Chinese New Year culture in such a systematic and multi-dimensional way. Through the music, dance and stage presence, they came to understand that the Spring Festival is more than just a holiday format—it is a profound cultural expression of family, time and emotion.

The celebration extended beyond the theater walls as 14 double-decker "Year of the Horse" buses, adorned with silk-road inspired aesthetics and traditional motifs, began their two-week tour of iconic Parisian landmarks like the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre.

As the gala concluded with the timeless melody of Unforgettable Tonight, it marked the beginning of a broader series of "Happy Spring Festival" cultural events touring throughout France.