The 12th Xikou Cultural Festival opened in Donghe district in Baotou, in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, with an opening ceremony held on July 18, according to Baotou Evening News.

The festival celebrates historic population migrations, most notably the movements from North China's Shanxi province to Baotou's western regions -- as people moved to increase their employment prospects, known as zou xi kou, or crossing the west ferry.

Baotou is home to many of Shanxi province's original residents, who began to migrate there en masse during the Ming Dynasty (1388-1644).

This migration pattern lasted more than 400 years, only coming to an end in the early years of the Republic of China (1912-1949). The migrants developed a rich rural culture, one treasure of which is Jin Opera.

The cultural festival will highlight the folk culture of Baotou city and will feature, among other performances, er en tai -- a folk opera performed as a male-female duet -- and Jin Opera.