Master craftsman preserves classical music culture

At a young age, under the guidance of his grandfather, Wang Bing began learning how to make the classic seven-string Chinese musical instrument called the guqin. Now, at age 43, he has mastered the craft and will pass it to future generations.

Revered among the four major Chinese classical arts — alongside chess, calligraphy and painting — the guqin reaches back in history more than 3,000 years. It has been favored by scholars and literary figures and is widely known as the great ancestor of Chinese music.

In 2003, the art of guqin — both the music and the culture — was included in UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list.

"It takes about two years to fabricate a collectable guqin," Wang said. "More than 100 complicated procedures are required to complete one, from selection of material to the making of billets, tuning and gray coating.