More than 1,000 photographers from 40 countries and regions will showcase their works in an ancient city of north China's Shanxi Province, said an organizer of the international photography festival opening Saturday.

The 10,000 photographs will be presented at 138 stands in nine exhibition halls, said Zhang Guotian, art director of the Pingyao International Photography Festival.

Pingyao, a well-preserved ancient city, has a history of 2,700 years and was placed on the world heritage list by UNESCO on Dec. 3, 1997. Many renowned artists and curators had arrived in the city by Friday, including Lesley Martin, fine art book publisher of Aperture Foundation; Stephen Cohen, director of Art L. A. and Photo L. A.; Robert Pledge, president of Contact Press Images and Alasdair Foster, director of the Australia Center for Photography.

This will be the ninth Pingyao International Photography Festival since 2001.

"The festival has gained prestige during the past eight years and has become a world famous event for photography fans and professionals," Zhang said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2009)