Music traditions stoke artistic passion in China's ice city

Amateur musicians playing violins, saxophones and even Chinese zithers alongside professionals in public squares and balconies of Central Street in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang province, has become a unique attraction among tourists.

"Harbin is famed for its winter sceneries, but I'm amazed by the variety of music events in this city," said Xie Yanwen, a tourist from East China's Jiangsu province.

The tradition of music is deeply rooted in the history of Harbin, known as China's "ice city." In the Harbin Music Museum, traditional Chinese instruments like the erhu and the gehu are played alongside the violin and the piano, illustrating the stories of Chinese and Western musicians.

For thousands of years, local ethnic minorities such as Hezhen and Oroqen have cultivated a rich collection of folk songs and dances. In the 20th century, the development of the Chinese Eastern Railway brought Western music to Harbin.

Since then, a large number of European singers, performers and conductors have moved to Harbin, making it one of the earliest cities in China to embrace Western classical music. Many of China's leading classical musicians have been trained in Harbin or were taught by teachers trained in Harbin.

"The convergence of Chinese and Western music shaped the unique character of Harbin, attracting art connoisseurs from all over the world," said Miao Di, curator of the Harbin Music Museum.