Spring Festival Gala holds the first rehearsal

The CCTV Spring Festival Gala, broadcast on the eve of the Lunar New Year, is an essential part of the holiday for many Chinese families. Rehearsals for the gala are taking place at the CCTV building in Beijing. The first rehearsal was divided into two parts, one on Sunday night and the second part the following night.

The line-up was revealed at the rehearsals held over the past two nights. CCTV's Zhu Jun and Zhou Tao will host the Gala.

Mainland singing stars Song Zuying and Mao Amin will perform, while Taiwan pop star Jay Chow is also featured.

Comic sketches and cross talk have long been the most popular part of the show. Comedian Feng Gong will bring a comic sketch on the global financial crisis.

Ma Dong and Da Shan along with other three men will put on a cross talk on the function of five facial features, an adaptation of a popular cross talk of several years ago.

Acclaimed comedians Huang Hong and Zhao Benshan didn't appear during the first two days of rehearsals. They will appear at later rehearsals, keeping the press guessing.

The gala will also feature a special presentation in memory of the victims of last year's May 12th earthquake. Delegates from quake hit areas will tell the audience about the current situation. And ethnic minority people from the quake hit province of Sichuan will give a performance.

Five more rehearsals for the CCTV Spring Festival gala are expected to be held. Some programs will be added or removed and the final line-up will be decided at the last two rehearsals.