Landscapes and guitar "duets" in a small town on the banks of the Yalu River

A large guitar sculpture in Ji'an, Tonghua City, Jilin Province, on September 10, 2021. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Boyu

Changchun, 7 Oct (Xinhua) -- It takes about four hours to drive southeast from Changchun, the capital of Jilin Province, to ji'an, a small town on the border between China and North Korea. The Laoling Mountains of the Changbai Mountains block the cold winds from the north, and the Yalu River that leans over the city warms the climate, making it a "poetry and far away" in the hearts of many people.

The "Eleventh" holiday is a good opportunity for many tourists to pursue "far away". Changchun "donkey friend" Zhou Ran embarked on a journey to Ji'an for the third time. He said: "In addition to not seeing enough landscapes, this year there is another reason to have to go, which is the new landmark of the 'Rock City' - the big guitar." ”

The big guitar in Zhou Ran's mouth is a guitar sculpture with a height of 19.1 meters, a width of 1.6 meters and a length of 6.8 meters, which has the function of a light show. This is a new landmark building completed in Ji'an in September this year, and it is also a rock landmark that many Ji'an and rock enthusiasts have long looked forward to.

In 2017, Ji'an director Dong Chengpeng filmed a movie called "The Sewing Machine Band" in his hometown. The film tells the story of several grassroots characters from different backgrounds who form a rock band with a difference in pursuit of their common musical dreams.

In the film, the scene of hundreds of well-known rock musicians playing together in front of a huge guitar sculpture has become a lingering memory for many viewers. This film also allows the small city of Ji'an to enter the vision of more music fans.

Regrettably, the big guitar in the film was dismantled due to the needs of the plot. However, ji'an's label of "rock city" is left in people's memories. When the news of the reconstruction of the big guitar came out, it attracted many tourists.

"Burn myself for my dreams, and don't let the banal wheezing be — that's the spiritual motivation given to me by the big guitar in the film." The guitar that I saw again in reality actually carries my memories of youth. Zhou Ran said.

Three days before the "Eleventh" holiday, nearly 20,000 people poured into Ji'an, a small border town with a household registration population of only 200,000 people. And the grand guitar square has become a must-have new attraction for most tourists. When night falls, the music in the square and the lights shine brightly, which will make many tourists linger.

"Breathing in the fresh air, seeing the layers of forest, tasting the incense brazier, listening to the billowing river water and the music of youth... It was a wonderful experience. A tourist posted in the circle of friends.

Ji'an's landscape and guitar "duet" are also the epitome of the development of many small cities in China. All localities may rely on green waters and green mountains, or create cultural landmarks, or cultivate rural tourism, while creating a unique cultural tourism brand, and constantly cater to people's material culture and spiritual cultural needs, thereby driving urban development.

"We have border natural scenery, pristine ecological environment, world cultural heritage, ice wine, Koryo braziers and other specialties, and now coupled with the big guitar symbolizing the 'Rock city', we have enriched the experience of tourists and driven the cultural tourism industry to a higher level." Wang Fang, deputy director of the Ji'an Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, introduced.

"On my return trip tomorrow, I'm going to bring a few bottles of the ice wine and Duck Eggs from the Yalu River and go back to give them to my family and friends to end this perfect holiday trip." Zhou Ran said.