From the Garden Expo’s vibrant feasts to Hankouli’s bustling energy, from the phoenix dance beneath the Yellow Crane Tower to the illuminated Yangtze River Bridge, Wuhan, the heroic city, dazzled the world during the 2025 Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival galas. JHU’s faculty and students, who were involved in the production process, gained a deeper appreciation for the city’s cultural spirit, and demonstrated its commitment to driving Wuhan’s growth.
Tired but proud: Representing JHU
Ask any JHU participant about Day One, and they’ll mention hand warmers and boiled corncobsthat kept them going.
As a local comprehensive university jointly supported by both provincial and municipal governments, JHU has long been dedicated to serving local development—actively participating in major events held across Wuhan. The 2025 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, which set up a branch venue in Wuhan for the first time, filled the city with pride and brought immense honor to the JHU community.
When the recruitment for performers and volunteers opened, slots were snapped up instantly. Despite the biting cold of open-air rehearsals at Wuhan’s Garden Expo, JHU’s students and teachers remained undeterred. They powered through over ten hours of rehearsals in the cold, fueled by little more than mutual encouragement, five hand warmers per person, and makeshift meals like boiled corn cobs and eggs from the only store on-site. Backstage or center stage, every JHU member approached their tasks with utmost professionalism. As one student noted, 'Each shot required rehearsals from multiple angles, totaling at least six hours. It was exhausting, but representing JHU and helping Wuhan shine on a global stage made it all worth it!'
We Want to Contribute to Wuhan
Du Qiang, a student from our university’s School of Music, joined 14 other male students to perform in the opening dance at the Wuhan sub-venue of the Spring Festival Gala. Their performance involved wielding heavy qin drums, requiring both skill and stamina. The rehearsals were tough, but Du said 'The thought of contributing to Wuhan's moment on the Spring Festival Gala stage kept us motivated.'
Zhao Wenjia, another music student, danced in the Chu-style dance segment alongside 29 female classmates. They sacrificed their Spring Festival family reunions and rehearsed through freezing nights on the riverbank. Yet Zhao found nothing to complain about. 'It’s an honor to be part of it and let the nation see Wuhan’s vitality and the spirit of its university students,' Zhao remarked.
Liu Mingji from the School of Intelligent Manufacturing even bought festive attire hoping to 'stand out.' Assigned to carry a child weighing dozens of kilograms during rehearsals, he ran countless laps with the child on his back until exhaustion. Though he didn’t make it on camera, Liu shrugged it off: 'As long as Wuhan shines, that’s enough!'
Jianghan University has no shortage of such students. Some hail from Wuhan itself, while others come from Jiangsu, Shangdong, and beyond --- all converging at Sanjiaohu Lake to be part of the JHU community. It’s here that their Wuhan spirit takes root. The Snake Year Gala became JHU’s love letter to this resilient city.
Of all my participations, this one meant the most
'Of all my Spring Festival participations, this one meant the most,' reflected Dong Yong, Vice Dean of JHU’s School of Music and the lead coordinator for JHU’s performers at the Wuhan branch venue. Over the years, JHU’s music faculty and students have frequently participated in multiple CCTV Spring Festival Galas and other national and provincial-level performances, showcasing the institution’s educational achievements.
To ensure smooth rehearsals, JHU mobilized professional instructors and counselors to provide guidance and psychological support. Administrative departments coordinated resources for venue arrangements and logistical preparations, while the Youth League Committee integrated the event into 'second classroom' activities to foster school pride and Wuhan identity. University leaders, including Party Secretary Qin Daoming and President Jing Xinhua, repeatedly visited rehearsal venues to cheer on participants.
Through collective effort, JHU students demonstrated exceptional discipline and professionalism at the Gala, with directors particularly noting their reliability in critical moments.
As a university rooted in Wuhan, JHU has grown alongside Wuhan, committed to serving Hubei and fueling local development. For years, our signature course 'Understanding Wuhan' has nurtured cohorts of engaged citizens who actively shape the city’s transformation—embodying our most distinctive educational achievement.
The Gala stage became a testament to both the city’s revival and JHU’s youthful vigor, uniting talents from across China to write new chapters for Wuhan’s renaissance.