Chinese farmers to sing at CCTV Spring Festival Gala

Xinhua, January 30, 2011

Two Chinese farmers famous for their heartrending version of a famous pop song will sing on the China Central Television Station (CCTV) Spring Festival Gala, China's most-watched television event.

Wang Xu, 44, and Liu Gang, 29, will sing "In the Spring" on the program, Chen Lichun, one of the gala's directors, said Saturday.

Ren Yueli, a singer known as Xidan Girl who used to busk in Beijing pedestrian underpasses, will also perform.

Grassroots artists will give five performances on the program.

The television event will begin at 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

The program is an important part of Spring Festival celebrations.

The Spring Festival falls on Thursday.