China's Spring Festival Box Office Sets New Single-Day Record

China's box office reached a historic milestone on January 29, the first day of the Spring Festival, also known as Lunar New Year, generating an unprecedented CNY 1.8 billion (USD 249 million) in revenue.

According to the China Film Administration, a total of 35.15 million moviegoers flocked to cinemas on that day, setting new records for both box office earnings and audience numbers, surpassing the previous highs set during the 2021 Chinese New Year.

The Spring Festival holiday, traditionally one of China's most lucrative movie seasons, runs from January 28 to February 4 this year—one day longer than in previous years.

Leading the box office are six newly released domestic films spanning diverse genres, including Chinese mythology, wuxia (martial arts and chivalry), comedy, fantasy, animation, and drama. Many of these titles belong to well-established, high-grossing franchises with strong reputations and dedicated fan bases, catering to a wide range of audience preferences.

Since December, the China Film Administration has encouraged relevant institutions to distribute approximately CNY 600 million in moviegoing subsidies, a move analysts believe aims to unlock the full spending potential of Chinese audiences.