Music helps Hebei village tune into prosperity

On a quiet and sunny afternoon, beautiful music drifts from a cafe in the rural area of North China's Hebei province. It is Ukrainian violinist Igor Kyrychenko who is playing with two compatriots. The 59-year-old musician has lived in the village of Zhouwo in Wuqiang county for three years, giving violin lessons at a local art school.

"I can tell that people here are passionate about music. People always come to listen to us while we are playing," he says.

Wuqiang used to be an impoverished county. In Zhouwo, with a population of about 900 people, villagers mainly toiled in the fields or left to work in cities for a living. In 2012, relying on the advantages of the local musical instrument assembly industry, Wuqiang county turned Zhouwo into a music town, integrating the functions of accommodation, tourism, shopping and entertainment.