As technology changes how stories are told, Xu Jia from the gala's digital team says it was the stage that brought these mythical tales from human imagination to audiences, both visually and immersively.

"In technological terms, I can say that we created a spectacular stage, applying the latest invention in motion capture, the virtual camera," Xu says. The virtual camera acts more like a virtual monitor that allows directors to judge the overall effect of the show.

It was not the first time that Henan Satellite TV has produced programs inspired by traditional culture. Since its dance show depicting female musicians at the Tang Dynasty (618-907) banquet went viral in 2021, breaking the stereotype of Chinese classical dance with its humorous and realistic tone, the television station has released a series of programs themed around Chinese festivals.

"Drawing experiences from these successful programs, the content creation team wants to create a brand-new stage, which shortens the distance between performers and audiences," Zhou says.