Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art–New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Beijing's 798 Art Zone underlined its reputation as the Chinese capital's premier New Year's Eve destination on Wednesday night, as approximately 130,000 visitors braved the cold to ring in 2026 at the iconic art district.
The "Start New Year with Art–New Year's Eve Countdown at 798" built on on the success of 2025, when the zone welcomed over 100,000 guests. The extravaganza featured a rich medley of activities fusing art, dance, light shows, live music, markets, and intangible cultural heritage performances.
"We believe that as the New Year approaches, all hopes for the future deserve to be honored with a beautiful ritual," said Guo Huaping, president of Beijing 798 Culture and Technology Co.
"Therefore, we upgraded our celebration to ensure that visitors experience not just the passing of time, but a shared sense of emotional resonance through the fusion of art and technology."
Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art–New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Highlights included six countdown spots where digital art performances illuminated the zone's industrial heritage sites, immersing the audience in a magical atmosphere to welcome the year ahead.
Before the countdown, visitors thronged the zone's various squares, posing for photos in front of art installations. Popular spots included the 1,400-square-meter "Dear Beijing, Happy New Year" theme wall, a glittering tree hung with Chinese characters displaying New Year wishes, and the "Recycle Troubles & Save Joys" installation—a large-scale red bag featuring the visual symbol of the popular rock band Wutiaoren.
Wutiaoren also joined forces with electronic outfit Nova Heart to headline the main stage, driving the night's energy to a fever pitch.
Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art – New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
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.
Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art – New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
To support the festivities, more than 200 art institutions — including the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art and Meet You Museum — along with stores and restaurants, extended their operating hours and offered special deals. Additionally, over 50 cultural, dining, and art brands joined the market, heating up 798's night tourism and consumption scene.
For those who missed the countdown, the celebration isn't over yet. Organizers announced that select art installations and activities will remain on display until Saturday.
Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art – New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art – New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art – New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art – New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Clarinet and Two Trees, a crossover collaboration features musician Wang Tao’s live clarinet performance and artist Wang Guangle’s installation, is staged in Beijing’s 798 Art Zone on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art – New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art – New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art – New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art – New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art – New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Revelers at the "Start New Year with Art – New Year’s Eve Countdown at 798" event on Wednesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
