Zhejiang launches songwriting contest as part of tourism push

When travelling to places such as Yunnan province and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China, tourists often want to listen to local folk songs.

So, to give visitors a wider choice of music when they visit Zhejiang province, a songwriting competition was launched in Beijing on August 18 by the Tourism Bureau of Zhejiang Province and Zhejiang Radio & TV Group.

According to Zhang Hui, the deputy director of Zhejiang Radio & TV Group, the event aims at providing a musical way to showcase Zhejiang's history and culture, which includes its its scenic areas and local cuisine.

One of the most famous folk songs from Zhejiang province is called the Tea-Picking Dance Song, which was written by Zhou Dafeng(1923-2015) in 1958.

Speaking of what Zhejiang can offer visitors, Zhang says: "While Zhejiang is progressing very fast economically, we also want to promote the local culture via music."

Some of the country's most well known musicians including Meng Weidong, the vice-president of the Chinese Musicians' Association, and pop songwriter Lao Zai will judge the contest.

The competition, which opened on August 18 will run until October 18. The top 50 entries will be announced on November 19.

The second round of competition will be held over November 20-December 19 before the final round over December 20-January 20, 2017.

Meanwhile, besides calling for music entries online, the Zhejiang Radio & TV Group is also collaborating with music conservatories to discover young talents.

Expressing his hopes that the contest will draw good participation, Zhang says: "I hope that songwriters will come to Zhejiang province and observe local life, which can inspire their songwriting."

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