China Media Group (CMG) on Monday released the official mascot for its 2025 Spring Festival Gala, as the Year of the Snake in the Chinese lunar calendar is approaching.

Based on the image of a cartoon snake, the mascot is named "Si Shengsheng", and was designed to match the theme of the Spring Festival Gala -- "Year of the Snake, Keep Your Spirits Awake!"
The outline of the mascot's head and the shape of the patterns on its cheeks are derived from a silver "Ruyi", a traditional Chinese ornament representing blessings and auspiciousness, unearthed in Shaanxi Province from the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
Its head is decorated with a bat pattern and its tail is embellished with a long knot representing longevity in Chinese culture, making the entire mascot represent blessings and good luck.
The shape of the eyebrows and eyes of the vivid mascot is taken from the pattern of snake-shaped bronze cultural relics unearthed from the Sanxingdui Ruins, one of the world's greatest archaeological findings of the 20th century in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
This pattern is also widely seen on bronze and jade items in the Central Plains region, showing the diversity and unity of Chinese civilization.
Some of the patterns on the mascot are carved with cloisonne craftsmanship, and the filigree inlay art was also used to sketch out a variety of flowers on the mascot, implying that the spring is back.
Green is the main color of the mascot, symbolizing spring and vitality, and a variety of traditional Chinese colors are also used in the design.
The Spring Festival Gala hosted by CMG has been an essential part of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration since 1983. The gala includes songs, dance, comic sketches, operas and folk arts.
The annual spectacle, known as the most-watched television program in the world, is broadcast on the eve of the Chinese New Year, when families come together to ring in the new lunar year.
The 2025 Spring Festival Gala will be on the air on the lunar New Year's Eve, which falls on January 28, 2025.