CHINA-XINJIANG-TACHENG-CULTURE-ACCORDION (CN)

(240725) -- TACHENG, July 25, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- A folk musician plays accordion for tourists at an accordion exhibition hall in Tacheng City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 24, 2024. Once an important stop on the ancient Silk Road, Tacheng City, traditionally a multicultural community housing people of more than 20 ethnic groups including Kazakh, Hui, Uyghur, Mongolian, Tatar and Russian, boasts sound ecology and beautiful scenery. Accordion, the most popular folk musical instrument in Tacheng, is the name card of the city. Accordion classes are offered in all primary and secondary schools in Tacheng, and performances by accordion artists and enthusiasts of all ethnic groups can be seen everywhere specially in the streets and restaurants. The instrument is not only a popular source of daily recreation, but also an important element in social activites. In 2023, Tacheng was awarded the title of "Accordion City of China" by the accordion society of Chinese Musicia