An art festival featuring various art shows kicked off on Friday evening to much fanfare in the touristy city of Guilin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The second Guilin art festival, a 10-day event, will put on 140 activities and performances, featuring plays, folk music, operas, and monologues in different languages from 14 countries and regions.

With nearly 80 percent of the performances being staged outdoors, the festival aims to tap into the idea of integrating art into the city's famed natural scenery under the theme of "coexistence," according to the event organizers.

A number of iconic tourist attractions in the city have been enlisted to serve as outdoor venues for the annual festival.