Exploring Wuxi's dynamic music industry

Music lovers can follow the following travel route to explore Wuxi's dynamic music industry.

Meicun Erhu Cultural Park. [Photo/WeChat account: xinwu_wx]

The first stop is the Meicun Erhu Cultural Park. Hailed in China as the hometown of erhu, Meicun town started producing the instrument in 1965 when the Meicun Traditional Musical Instrument Factory was built. The town has since become an important base for the erhu industry in China.

Meicun Erhu Cultural Park is the first comprehensive venue in China that both showcases the erhu's historical and cultural heritage and demonstrates erhu production processes.

The second stop is Hongshan Music Industry Town in Xinwu district. The 2023 Hongshan Music Industry Summit and Landscape Music Collections were held here, with strategic cooperation agreements for the Hongshan Music Industry Town being signed collectively.

The next destination is Salvi Harps (Wuxi) Co Ltd. The city's rich musical culture and robust industrial inspired this world-renowned harp manufacturer to establish a presence here.

Next, tourists can head to the Goldencup Angles Musical Instruments Co Ltd in Jiangyin, a county-level city in Wuxi. This company produces 25,000 accordions annually, with its products accounting for 43 percent of the domestic accordion market and generating 50 million yuan ($6.85) in annual sales. Exports amount to $3.6 million, making it a leading enterprise in the Chinese accordion industry.

The East Harmonica Museum is located in Jiangyin city. [Photo/wxrb.com]

Stay in Jiangyin for the final stop, the East Harmonica Museum in Zhutang town, Jiangyin. The museum is operated by China Musical Instrument Manufacturing Co.

There are currently 11 harmonica manufacturing companies in China that possess complete production capabilities and have their own brands, and Jiangyin is home to six of them, including four in Zhutang town. Jiangyin produces nearly 60 percent of all harmonicas globally.