The world-heritage listed natural forest park of Zhangjiajie is a must-see destination for many people, but rarely has it been imagined as the site for a large-scale international country music festival - that is until now.

Drumbeat show "Inspiring the World" by local performers at the opening ceremony of 2009 Zhangjiajie International Country Music Week, a tourist destination in central China’s Hunan province on May 14, 2009.

The 2009 Zhangjiajie International Country Music Week kicked off on May 14, with a mix of music by the Santa Fe Art Ensemble from the United States and Zhangjiajie local troupes.

Their joint efforts in performing a classic folk song from the area infused a hearty dose of excitement at the very beginning, which, in a sense, may be the best way to usher in this large-scale international event.

Female singers of Zhangjiajie Troupe are singing Sangzhi song, a kind of local folk song

Along with this combination of music from East and West, famous French vocalist Cyril Niccolai also endeared himself to Chinese audiences by singing the hit Chinese song - Teresa Teng's "The Moon Represents My Heart", accompanied by pop singer A Duo from Hunan Province.