The 13th China Children's Theater Festival, themed "Lighting Up Young Minds, Shaping the Future," kicked off on Friday at the China National Theater for Children in Beijing.

Opening the festival was The Cat God in the Forbidden City, a popular song and dance drama co-produced by the China National Theater for Children and the Palace Museum in 2023. The show, widely praised for animating cultural relics, became an instant hit upon its premiere in late December, staging 50 performances during its first run.