Guitars strumming a tune for tourism in Zheng'an, Guizhou

In the pleasant summer climate of Zheng'an county, Zunyi city, southwest China's Guizhou Province, evenings are particularly cool and comfortable.

From July 26 to Sept. 30, the "Youth Meets Guizhou: Guitar Rhythms in Zheng'an" 2024 Tourism Ecosystem Summer Music Festival is being held there. The vibrant music, surging crowds, and lively atmosphere light up the night in this mountainous county.

From various guitar-themed events to integrating guitars into everyday life, and with an annual production volume that accounts for one-seventh of total global guitar output, Zheng'an has spent over a decade developing its guitar culture, continuously enhancing its guitar brand, and empowering local cultural and tourism development through guitars.

A worker makes ukuleles in the Zheng'an International Guitar Industrial Park. (Photo/Zhao Yongzhang)

Guitar culture takes root

Back in 2013, when someone walked down the street with a guitar on their back, people might mistake it for a fishing rod or a pipa (a traditional Chinese instrument). Today, the giant guitar sculpture at the guitar square has become a popular spot for photos, and musical elements like guitars and music notes can be seen everywhere on the streets. The guitar has become a household instrument in Zheng'an.

As a long-standing major source of migrant labor, Zheng'an had over 200,000 residents working outside of the county, nearly 60,000 of whom were involved in the guitar manufacturing industry. Zheng'an seized the opportunity, built the Zheng'an International Guitar Industrial Park in 2013, and offered a series of preferential policies to support the development of guitar enterprises, gradually perfecting the guitar manufacturing industry chain.

Beyond integrating guitars and music into urban construction, Zheng'an has also intensified efforts to popularize guitar culture, promoting it within government agencies, schools, enterprises, communities, and rural areas. As of now, more than 50,000 people have participated in guitar learning programs.

During this year's music festival, the presence of local bands from Zheng'an is prominent, including a band made up of all females as well as a band of six siblings.

The formation of these local bands is a direct result of Zheng'an's promotion of guitar culture. To date, over 30 local bands covering different age groups and fields have been successfully established, injecting vitality into the local music scene.

Photo shows young performers at the 2024 Tourism Ecosystem Summer Music Festival. (Photo/Zhang Rui)

Local guitars reach global audiences

Exported to over 40 countries and regions, six of the world's top 10 guitar brands are produced in Zheng'an. One out of every seven guitars made worldwide comes from here, and the locals take great pride in this achievement.

At the 2023 NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Show in Anaheim, California, Turkish guitar merchants mentioned that they order over 10,000 guitars annually from the Zunyi Shenqu Musical Instrument Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in Zheng'an, citing high quality, good value, and customer satisfaction as reasons for choosing Chinese-made instruments.

Another exhibitor, Natasha Musical Instrument Manufacturing Co., Ltd., attracted international attention with its innovative bamboo smart guitar.

With 168 patents related to guitars and 77 proprietary brands, the Zheng'an Economic Development Zone has demonstrated its commitment to innovation.

Guitars not only serve as a vehicle for economic growth but also as a medium for cultural exchange. For example, the master craftsman Zhang Weiyi has integrated Miao silverwork into guitar making, adorning the instruments with Miao ethnic motifs and symbols, thereby exporting Miao culture along with the guitars.

The 2024 Tourism Ecosystem Summer Music Festival attracts large crowds. (Photo/Zhang Rui)

Building a stage for guitar performances

Guitar culture connects both the industry and tourism. The Zheng'an International Guitar Industrial Park is not just a manufacturing base but also includes tourist attractions such as the guitar square, guitar-themed streets, and a guitar museum. Visitors can watch live band performances in the south area and observe the guitar-making process in the north.

In 2022, the Zheng'an International Guitar Industrial Park was designated as a national 4A-level scenic area. Zheng'an has actively promoted the integration of guitar culture with tourism, education, and commerce, organizing a series of "guitar + X" cultural and tourism activities, including various flower festivals as well as the summer music festival.

On the opening day of the 2024 Tourism Ecosystem Summer Music Festival, over 20,000 visitors attended, generating significant income for local businesses. In addition to daily performances, the festival will host a variety of events, including a provincial worker guitar competition, a national college student guitar singing invitational tournament, and a public music season.

"The idea is to have activities every week, themes every month, and highlights every season," says Tian Fei, director of the Zheng'an Guitar Cultural Industry Development Center.

According to Tian, the county will continue to promote guitar culture, create a "stage for guitar performances," and organize various guitar shows and performances, leveraging the development of guitar culture to empower the guitar industry and tourism, promoting high-quality development of the guitar industry and making the guitar a key medium for telling the "Zheng'an story".