"Though making it all by hand is a demanding task, it is worth learning, not only for mastering skills to earn a living but also for gaining a better understanding of the lion dance," Qin said.

Still, the ancient art form has fallen out of favor with the young generation, as the skills take years to master while only a meager wage can be earned.

Professional coaches and funding are hard to find, making it even more arduous for a lion dance troupe to survive, according to Deng Minghua, a national inheritor of the cultural heritage.

Local authorities have set up four training bases since 2017 and teamed up with enterprises and schools to help reboot the ancient art. The Tengxian secondary vocational school also launched a lion dance class and a training venue to foster more lion dancers.

"We must work hard to help pass on the heritage and its spirit through the generations," Deng said.