Yangzhou is not only well known to the public for its beautiful scenery but also for its sound cultural environment where numerous refined scholars and artists from ancient times to modern times have gathered. Musician Li Renzhen is one of the most talented people performing in Yangzhou today.

Li Renzhen, an artist in Yangzhou, East of China's Jiangsu Province, performs a song with a lute in Tanci style to the audience on Apirl 20, 2006. [chinadaily.com.cn]

Li gave a performance to a group of Internet journalists from ten major Chinese news websites in Yangzhou as part of the 2006 International Tourism Festival on April 20.

She performed Singing for Ancient Yangzhou and Zhang Yuliang with her lute in the Tanci style - a form of narrative music with string instruments tune.

The concert was part of an official effort to promote Yangzhou cultural heritage and make the city "culturally strong" via the Internet, an official from the Publicity Department of CCP Yangzhou Municipal Committee said.

Reporters from the local television station and newspaper also attended the concert and had an interviewed with Li after the two-hour long performance.

"As part of Yangzhou's the cultural heritage in Yangzhou, Tanci is very popular with many people who are interested in Chinese traditional opera arts. I hope the Internet can help more and more people get to know our Yangzhou culture", Li told the a reporter.

Born in to a poor family in Yangzhou, Li was admitted to Yangzhou Quyi School, where she studied local opera forms learning Pinghua and Qinqu with opera Masters Wang Shaotang and Wang Wanqing.

Because of her good conditions she soon became very successful and is known as " Tanci Queen " in the art field.

Now Li is recognized as among the best national female performers, artists and composers. She's also a member of the Chinese Opera Association and , vice-chairperson of the Yangzhou Opera Association.