The Water and Pear Blossoms World Music Festival in Shandong province's Yangxin county is popular among locals. [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

Dangih Nurlan makes his living in Beijing playing Spanish music in restaurants as this kind of music is more suitable for these settings.

"The music festival provides me with a platform to play the music I truly love," he says.

"Kazak music is the music of my ethnicity, which is very important to me."

Hanggai, the Mongolian word for a place with beautiful pastures, mountains and rivers, is considered a "Chinese representative" of world music. The group developed the idea for the Water and Pear Blossoms World Music Festival from observations it made while touring overseas.

"There are many music festivals overseas－a great variety. What makes a music festival stand out is its unique characteristics and attitude," Ilchi says.

"Here, we want people to be immersed in nature and experience diverse cultures through music."

And the event benefits the county.

The venue was a garbage dump before the event was first staged last year, Yangxin's mayor Liu Jinyi says.

"The music festival brings travelers and boosts the local economy," Liu says.

"Local people get to enjoy high-quality world music in their hometown. It cultivates their musical tastes and enriches their lives."

Yangxin resident Ge Yongling, who also participated in last year's festival, says the event is popular among locals.

"There's a surge of people joining," she says.

"This festival showcases musical styles from China and the world. I feel extremely proud that we are holding this event."