Dalian opens its doors wider to buskers

Online audiences

Every time Jiang busks in public places, she livestreams her performances, which usually attract audiences of several hundred.

In addition to singing outdoors twice a week, she performs online almost every day. Jiang said she enjoys busking, as she feels it is like performing in a small concert.

"People like to stop and watch me perform after they finish work. These are wonderful moments for me. Sometimes, they wave their phones with the torchlights on and hum along with me. I watch them closely to see how they react to my music. These sweet moments encourage me to continue busking," Jiang said.

She has about 70,000 fans online and earns from 30,000 yuan to 80,000 yuan (($4,113 to $10,976) every month, mostly from online donations.

Jiang writes many of her songs, which convey her experiences and feelings.

She wrote the popular number Dalian's Summer for her grandfather, who died in summertime. In the song, she includes many features of the city, where she lived with him.

"Before I sing this song, I introduce the city to those watching me online, as well as tourists visiting the city," Jiang said.

Dalian is a popular destination for its beaches and pleasant weather. Data issued by the city's culture and tourism bureau show that more than 3.7 million visitors flocked to the city during the five-day May Day holiday this summer, while during the summer, it accommodated tens of millions of tourists.

Thanks to the authorities' support for buskers and the city's strong appeal to tourists, musicians and artists are performing on its streets in increasing numbers.

Jiang said one of her friends, a violin teacher, busked for one hour every evening in the city's busiest square this summer after a day's work, earning about 1,000 yuan.

Li Xiaoxu, one of the busking project's organizers, said art forms such as street graffiti, body painting, folk bands playing traditional Chinese instruments while wearing hanfu (Chinese-style costumes in ancient times), and rock bands will feature on the streets.

She said Dalian has many buskers, some of whom were introduced to the public this summer.

Li attributes part of Dalian's busking culture to the city's 100-plus squares, where buskers often choose to perform. Many of these squares are near the sea or face beaches.