Xue Jinjing, 24, is a performer of Xinjiang Quzi, a form of traditional Chinese opera that originated in Xinjiang in northwest China, with all the lines delivered in the local dialect. It employs. folk tunes close to the lives of ordinary people.

Xue has been studying her craft since the age of 15. She is among 30 young performers who have been attending a national training program for lesser-known traditional Chinese operas, in Taiyuan, Shanxi.

They hail from seven provinces and regions in central and western China, specializing in 16 rare Chinese operas that have been listed as forms of national intangible cultural heritage.

The program lasts two months, involving theoretical studies and practical acting classes and rehearsals. As the program will soon end, these young performers have been preparing two special shows to highlight the improvements they've made while studying there.

Backstage, Xue says she now realizes the importance of brushing up theoretical studies. "I've learned a lot about the theory of opera that I didn't know before. That will help me better understand and express myself when I perform, in the moves, facial expressions, character and emotions," she said.

Guo Jianxiong, 28, has been learning Qitai Yangge for more than a decade. This is a local folk opera that is popular in Shanxi, featuring rural life stories, and dating back 300 years.

Guo says he has benefited a lot from exchanges with other trainees. "We are about the same age, and we have been open with each other about our operas and performances," he said. "For our newly created operas, we've learned from each other's experiences."

China has about 350 varieties of traditional opera, each with a history of hundreds of years. But most of them now are "endangered" due to a severe shortage of learners. While the country is now putting more emphasis on the protection of these art forms, veteran artists emphasize that traditional operas need to keep up with the times to survive.

Miao Jie, deputy dean of Shanxi Arts Vocational School, was the mastermind behind this training program.

"We can retain the original features and style of traditional operas while helping young performers improve the details of their performances in line with the standards of China's major operas. This will help the arts to not fall behind the times," she said.

Miao hopes this national training program can bring more attention to the rare traditional Chinese operas that are being lost with the passage of time.

"Each one is indispensable and integral to Chinese opera as a whole. If they disappear, how would we inherit this intangible cultural heritage?" she asked.