A Date with China: Museums in Tacheng Offer a Glimpse into the Cultural Charm of Xinjiang

Located on the northwest border of China, Tacheng is a time-honored city and once an important trading port along the ancient Silk Road. For thousands of years, people of different ethnic groups intermingled here and created a unique and diverse folk custom. On July 28, the "A Date with China" 2022 international media tour group arrived in Tacheng, where the city’s cultural heritage and Xinjiang’s diverse cultural characteristics are showcased through the Honglou Museum and the Accordion Culture Exhibition Hall.

Photo taken on July 28, 2022 shows the Honglou Museum in Tacheng City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo provided by A Date with China)

As the only comprehensive museum in the Tacheng region, Honglou Museum is also an iconic building symbolic of the history and culture of Tacheng. Built in 1910, its floor, ceiling, door frames and window panes are carved with delicate patterns. As the wall by the street is in the color of rust red, the museum is also called “Red Mansion”.

Photo taken on July 28, 2022 shows the Honglou Museum in Tacheng City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo provided by A Date with China)

Inside the museum are exhibitions featuring the city’s historical relics, ethnic folklore, revolutionary history and development achievements. The museum represents Tacheng’s major historical events and highlights its cultural characteristics from the angles of history, ethnicity, patriotism and contemporary development.

“I learned that the museum was built during the Qing Dynasty by a Russian businessman, and the building was once used as a trading house for imports and exports, a hospital, and then a government office before it took today’s shape as a museum. It was a product of history, but it also witnessed the history of Tacheng. From here you can see the history of Tacheng and learn about its culture”, said Sabina Makarova a video blogger from Russia, and a member of the media group.

Makarova was careful enough to have noted from a map of the ancient Silk Road that Tacheng was an important commercial port along the Grassland Silk Road, and also an important gateway to Central Asia and Europe. “I think Tacheng has a geographical advantage and an important role to play in foreign exchanges. As China advances its Belt and Road Initiative, I hope to see Tacheng play an increasingly important role in China's westward opening-up,” she said.

The "A Date with China" 2022 international media tour group is welcomed by ethnic dance performances outside the Accordion Culture Exhibition Hall of Tacheng, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 28, 2022. (Photo provided by A Date with China)

After the Honglou Museum, the media group was welcomed into the Accordion Culture Exhibition Hall of Tacheng in melodious music played by accordion artists. Since introduced to the city in the 1930s, the accordion has become one of the favorite musical instruments in Tacheng, where playing the accordion has become a main popular of recreation. Today, Tacheng is also known as the “Accordion City” of China.

Photo taken on July 28, 2022 shows a view inside the Accordion Culture Exhibition Hall of Tacheng, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Siyu Gu/Guangming Picture)

The Accordion Culture Exhibition Hall located in the New Era Civilization Practice Center was put into use in July this year, gathering the most accordion types with over 900 accordions of different brands from 10 countries, including China, Russia, Germany, Italy and Ukraine, on display, among which the oldest one was handmade more than 160 years ago. Most of the accordions are cultural relics with high historical and academic research value.

Photo taken on July 28, 2022 shows an accordion displayed in the Accordion Culture Exhibition Hall of Tacheng, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo provided by A Date with China)

Each accordion bears witness to the cultural blend of East and West in Tacheng, and the exhibition hall, through the display of accordions of different countries and brands, not only brings visitors closer to the history of accordion, but also enhances the appeal and influence of traditional folk culture.

"Accordion is an important iconic signal in many countries' cultures. It's great to see it's also part of the Chinese culture," said Rafael Saavedra from Venezuela. "Finally, you understand that is absolutely possible to live your own culture in a peace and harmonious way with people from different backgrounds. We are all brothers, sisters. That is the most important message that you got from this, " he added.