With more than 3,000 years of history, guqin, which literally means ancient zither in English, is one of the most revered traditional Chinese musical instruments.

In Culture Express's "Young Artist" series, CGTN meets with guqin artisan Sui Yiyang, who revealed that his lifelong mission goes beyond perfecting the art of guqin playing and making, but it's about leaving a legacy.

As a fourth-generation apprentice of the Jiuyi Qinpai performance style, Sui started to learn to play and make the instrument from third-generation master Han Tingyao a few years later after falling in love with the traditional seven-stringed instrument in 2003. He said the guqin music has a free element that also stirs up inner emotions.

He added that the guqin sounds are often inspired by nature, whether it's water splashing, a river flowing, or the serene noises of mother nature.

Sui teaches regularly and has already sold more than 40 guqins. It takes two to three years and over 200,000 yuan (about $30,700) to make one. The purely handcrafted producing process includes selecting the wood, hollowing the board, priming the lacquer cement, which often has gemstone powders mixed into it, engraving a poetic saying, and carving the maker's name.

Sui said it's extremely difficult to find people with the same passion to pass his skills. The artistry requires dedication and patience but, unfortunately, doesn't guarantee a stable income.

When asked what drives his determination to keep pursuing this almost lost art, he said that the instrument will live on, carrying his name both on the outside and the inside. He hopes that his work will leave a mark and a legacy worth remembering.