Thousands of revelers ring in 2026 at Beijing's 798 Art Zone

Beyond the concerts, the celebrated Tao Dance Theater staged 14 from their "Numerical Series" in front of artist Wu Jian'an's AI interactive installation Inner Mask. The installation captures viewers' micro-expressions in real-time, transforming them into dynamic mask images inspired by Chinese mythology.

Elsewhere, musician Wang Tao's clarinet melodies drifted between two trees, an installation by artist Wang Guangle. Their collaboration, titled Clarinet and Two Trees, created a poetic dialogue across time and space.

Chinese intangible cultural heritage also shone brightly. The classic dance Night Banquet in the Tang Palace took the stage at Power Square, reproducing the elegance of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Meanwhile, a fish lantern parade from Wangmantian, a village in Shenxian county, Anhui province and neon-style "Cyber Lion Dances" weaved through the squares, lighting up the streets.