Harmonica artists perform at the opening ceremony of the 14th Asia Pacific Harmonica Art Week. [Photo provided to gowuxi.com]

The 14th Asia Pacific Harmonica Art Week kicked off in Jiangyin, a county-level city in Wuxi, on Aug 9, bringing together over 200 harmonica players from 32 countries and regions.

The opening ceremony marked the inauguration of the Wuxi studio of international harmonica masters and tours for 1 million visitors in Wuxi.

International artists play harmonica at Jiangyin Bund. [Photo provided to gowuxi.com]

Spanning four days, the art festival featured a diverse array of 88 activities, including nearly 20 concerts and 11 lectures on harmonica.

Prior to the opening ceremony, harmonica artists from Europe, Asia, and America were specially invited to explore Wuxi's musical landmarks, such as Jiangyin Xiju and Pingtan Art Museum and the former residence of Wuxi's legendary erhu player Ah Bing.

Introduced to China in 1900, harmonica has since witnessed China rise as a prominent manufacturer of the musical instrument.

International harmonica artists show interest in erhu, a two-stringed bowed instrument in China. [Photo provided to gowuxi.com]

Currently, there are about 18 harmonica manufacturers with their brands in the world, six of which are situated in Jiangyin. Consequently, it stands out as the leading producer of harmonicas globally.

Moving forward, Wuxi will engage musicians, international friends, citizens, and students in exploring the city's eight music travel routes, offering a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the city's musical allure.