Cultural riches add to urban cool

Music, sculpture, theater, movies and sports are flourishing in the coastal city of Qingdao.

Its well-preserved historic heritage also adds charm to the city's cultural and creative industries.

The city was named a Cultural City of East Asia in 2014. It promotes the preservation of culture, proudly displays its cultural charms.

"Our goal is to develop a civilized city with diverse cultures and booming creative industries to meet the demands of our residents," said Qingdao Party chief Li Qun.

Music

Dubbed the "island of stringed instruments", Qingdao has strong connections to music. It has four symphony orchestras, more than 100 choirs and countless professional and amateur pop bands.

Each year, more than a dozen upscale concerts are held in Qingdao, including those by internationally acclaimed musicians. Qingdao is also the birthplace of many renowned Chinese musicians such as violinists Lyu Siqing and Li Chuanyun.

Movies

Already crowned a natural studio for its scenery and diverse architecture, Qingdao is now home to a movie production site and a branch of the Beijing Film Academy.

With an investment of 50 billion yuan ($7.51 billion) from property and entertainment conglomerate Wanda Group, the Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis is the world's largest film studio with a multi-function mega-industrial park.

Theater

In recent years Qingdao has invested heavily in developing its cultural venues. The magnificent Qingdao Grand Theater has become a new city landmark and is at the forefront of the city's cultural development.

The debut of dance opera Faxian in Beijing on June 11 brought a great deal of kudos to Qingdao. Produced by the Qingdao Bureau of Culture, Radio, TV, News and Publications, it features the journey to India of the famous monk Faxian, of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420).

Folk culture

Mount Laoshan in Qingdao's suburbs was one of the birthplaces of Taoism and its written history goes back more than 2,000 years. Today, Mount Laoshan folk stories, Taoist music and the martial arts style of the Northern Praying Mantis are recognized as national intangible cultural heritage items.

Daxue Road

Daxue Road, which is at the foot of Qingdao Hill, has nearly two dozens cafs and offers a laidback atmosphere for locals and tourists. Many young people spend their time here sipping coffee and trying to embody the spirit of iconic cultural figures from the 1930s.

(China Daily 07/05/2016 page6)