A press conference for the 19th Zhaojun Cultural Festival is held in Beijing on July 7. [Photo/northnews.com.cn]

The opening ceremony of the 19th Zhaojun Cultural Festival will be held in Hohhot, capital of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on July 20, according to a press conference held in Beijing on July 7.

Wang Zhaojun, a main character of the festival, is known as one of the “four beauties” of ancient China. She volunteered to marry the leader of Xiongnu, Huhanye during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), in order to establish peaceful and friendly relations between their two nations.

As a result, the tomb of Zhaojun was established in Hohhot to honor the contributions that she had made towards ensuring national unity.

Hosted by the Hohhot Party committee and government, the festival is in a bid to promote Inner Mongolian culture and build a sense of ethnic unity.

Over 20 activities will be held during the festival, including art performances, film screenings, exhibitions, forums, food festivals and sports matches.

A self-driving activity is the highlight of this year's festival. Participants will have the opportunity to travel along the same route as Zhaojun, from Chang’an (currently Xi’an in Shaanxi province) to the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Lan Yi, director of the Hohhot Municipal Bureau of Culture, Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television said at the press conference that since the first festival, which was held in 1999, the Zhaojun Cultural Festival has evolved into a special feature of Hohhot, attracting numerous tourists, scholars and businessmen from both home and abroad, which not only assists in the economic development of the city, but also increases its popularity.