Hundreds of domestic and international music acts of various genres will storm six relics parks in Shaanxi's provincial capital Xi'an for the Xi'an Qujiang International Youth Music Tourist Festival.

The event will open with the two-day China Youth Music Festival, featuring 11 singers and bands from the mainland and Taiwan, including such bands as Hanggai, New Pants and Nan Wu.

The festival will run from July 8 to Aug 20. This year is the second installment of the event, which is the country's first music festival with a relics theme.

Xi'an is one of China's oldest cities and has more than 3,100 years of history. It was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It's one of the four great capitals in the country's history and served as such during several of the most important dynasties, including the Zhou (c.11th century-256 BC), Qin (221-206 BC), Han (206 BC-AD 220), Sui (AD 581-618) and Tang (AD 618-907). It is also the Silk Road's easternmost terminus.

Saturday's extravaganza entitled Chang'an New Music City will feature fusion music that incorporates traditional elements.

There will be Qinqiang, the oldest and most extensive of the four major Chinese opera varieties. The genre combines vocals, spoken word, makeup, dancing and acting with ancient court music and local folk tunes.

China Daily