Ages of tradition, traced and treasured

"This job is a race against time," said Gao Xu, who is in charge of the recording work from Liaoning province. "Inheritors' health and age are the biggest enemies of those ICH items."

Before Gao finished her interviews on a practitioner of traditional sacrificial rituals of the Xibe ethnic group, the elderly man accidentally fell and was hospitalized.

"While taking care of the man, his family and neighbors from the village came to help us finish the recording," Gao recalled. "They also contributed scattered historical files or related old artifacts. They know our work is meaningful.

"The recordings are not only of individuals, but also how traditions were nurtured on that land," Gao said. "We see more than 'single trees' in the project. We see forests."

When Gao first approached Shan Tianfang, an iconic storyteller and oral performing artist, her request was turned down. Once a shining star on stage, Shan was worried that his appearance, suffering from illness, would disappoint fans.

"But he finally accepted the proposal, recognizing the significance of this national project, and we recorded for three days," Gao said. "He chose a new suit for the recording session."

Shan passed away one year after the recording was completed.

In the past decade, 71 national-level ICH inheritors passed away before recording programs were completed, and another 397 died afterward.

"Their lifetime devotion lives on thanks to the project," Gao said. "It will give new generations strength."