Shazhou Guqin Club, sponsored by Zhang Pinzhong, Sun Haibin and other guqin players, has become a place for Chinese traditional art lovers to hone their skills and ideas.

Zhangjiagang in east China's Jiangsu province is a city whose history is intimately tied to the development of the guqin, a seven-string musical instrument also known as the Chinese zither.

The city is home to Wu Jingyue (1907-1987), one of the greatest players of the instrument and inventor and namesake of a new style of playing: Wu pai guqin.

The guqin has been around since ancient times and has traditionally been favored by scholars and intellectuals due to its subtlety and refinement.

In 2012, Zhangjiagang set up Shazhou Guqin Club and Guqin Association and hosted a string of guqin activities to raise awareness of traditional culture among the public.

Zhang Pinzhong performs at Shazhou Guqin Club in Zhangjiagang East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo/zjgonline.com]

Zhang Pinzhong, a guqin enthusiast, teach pupils the seven-stringed musical instrument at Tangshi Primary School in Zhangjiagang. [Photo/zjgonline.com]