People enjoy a concert over the balcony. [Photo/WeChat account: hzscfb]

Qinghefang's historic streets hosted a unique Song Dynasty (960-1279) pop-up music concert on Nov 8, coinciding with the first anniversary of China's revised Cultural Relics Protection Law.

Set across the balconies of heritage buildings along the Southern Song Imperial Street waterways, the performance fused traditional Chinese instruments with modern arrangements, offering locals and visitors an immersive audio-visual experience.

Organized by the Shangcheng district culture and tourism bureau and co-hosted by Hangzhou Cultural Broadcasting Group and Hangzhou Art School, the event featured young artists reinterpreting classics on guzheng, pipa, erhu, and drums. The result was a dynamic interplay of melodies — where strings and percussion became storytelling tools, blending historic resonance with contemporary creativity.

Part of the ongoing Cultural Enrichment: Song Dynasty Showcase series, the concert exemplifies Shangcheng's strategy of turning heritage sites into interactive cultural venues.

Since 2024, the initiative has staged over 200 events, decoding 56 Song-era cultural elements into tangible experiences, boosting local tourism, dining, and night economy, and reinforcing Shangcheng's reputation as a leading district for cultural innovation.

A musician plays the drum amid the Song-Dynasty setting. [Photo/WeChat account: hzscfb]