Comedy sketches are the most popular part of each Spring Festival gala, but this year promises the return of cross talk. Comedian Jiang Kun is returning to the stage after a five year hiatus, while well-known foreign cross-talker Mark Roswell, known better as Da Shan, is set to join four other comedians for one segment. He is an old friend of the Spring Festival gala, excited about returning to the stage so many years later.

"It's my third time on the spring festival gala, but the last time was ten years ago, so its nice cause there're a lot of different things in the last ten years and it’s nice to come back now for what I'm best known for which is Xiang Sheng comedy. So it's a lot of fun. We'll do a five men piece this time it's an adaptation of a really popular piece that great comic master Ma Ji did. So far the audience response's been really good." Said Da Shan.

In addition to the cross talks, comedy sketches, and song and dance performances, there will also be displays of acrobatics, magic, folk music, Peking opera, and pop songs.

To highlight the unity of all Chinese people, the gala will also feature art troupes from around the country in distinctive regional performances.

New faces will also appear at the gala, including two farmers joining together with two big singing stars, sure to be a big hit with audiences.

The spring festival gala will hold another five rehearsals until it finally arrives on the TV screens of each and every Chinese family on Lunar New Year's eve.

(CCTV January 15, 2009)