The Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival in Chinese culture. With the start of the Year of the Horse in 2026, a year marked by progress and improvement, vitality and a spirit of discovery begins. The zodiac sign of the Horse also symbolises perseverance and an active drive to move forward. We therefore have a year of hope and vitality ahead of us.
With this in mind, the province of Hubei presented itself this year. Its capital, Wuhan, is by Chinese standards one of the smaller cities, with ‘only’ around 8 million inhabitants. Following the welcoming speeches by State Secretary Oliver Friederici and Mr He Wenbo, Deputy Director of the Chinese Cultural Centre, a high-calibre stage show featuring artists from Hubei was presented. Many surprising moments and impressive skill enchanted the audience, who marvelled not only at the performances but also at the artists’ imaginative and elaborate costumes. Afterwards, as is customary, a lavish buffet featuring Chinese specialities was served. A successful start to the Year of the Fire Horse.