Beijing, Mar 2 (IANS/EFE): Authorities in the central Chinese province of Henan inaugurated a road that is designed to play music as vehicles pass over it, the media said.

Hundreds of narrow ribbons are arrayed across a 300-meter stretch of the road in such as way as to play a tune as vehicles pass.

The vehicles must be travelling at a minimum speed of 40 kph to correctly sound the notes.

The road, located inside the Changge nature reserve, plays either the Chinese national anthem or the traditional favourite "Molihua" (Jasmine), depending on which direction the vehicles are moving.

It is China's first musical road, though similar thoroughfares exist in Japan, South Korea and Denmark, where the idea of turning a road into a musical instrument originated in 1994.

The Danes who built the first tuneful road dubbed it the "asphaltophone".

California once had its own musical road, but authorities had to repave it after area residents complained about constant noise as some driver.