The 11th Western China Folk Songs (Hua’er) Festival opened at the China Hui Culture Park in the city of Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on July 25. Hua’er is a type of traditional folk music that is popular in northwestern China’s provinces such as Qinghai, Gansu and Ningxia. Some 200 singers and artists came to perform their songs and staged other performances of distinctive minority group flavor during the festival. [Photo: Xinhua]