Lang Lang brings Hangzhou to New Yorkers through music
On June 16, world-renowned pianist Lang Lang surprised commuters passing through Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal in New York with a performance of Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake (ๅนณๆน็งๆ pรญnghรบ qiลซyuรจ). Expressing the beauty of Hangzhouโs West Lake, it was composed by Lu Wencheng ๅๆๆ in the late 1920s.
Lang Langโs performance was part of an event called Hi 5 Hangzhou Fan Gala, organized by the Hangzhou Tourism Commission. The commission aims to promote Hangzhouโs scenery, history, food, and culture to a Western audience through exhibits of silk, tea, fan drawing, and more. Passersby were offered virtual reality headsets to experience some of the cityโs popular tourist attractions.
Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang Province, is one of Chinaโs most popular tourist destinations, featuring temples, pagodas, and its famous West Lake. The city generated about $48 billion in revenue from tourism last year, up 18 percent from 2016.
