However, the future of Xi'an ancient music is uncertain. There are very few folk groups in Xi'an that can actually play the music since the masters have either passed away or are simply too old to perform. Eighty-seven-year-old Zhao Gengchen used to be a member of Dongcang Music Society, which was very popular in the 1930s and '40s. However, today there are no new members in the society, and even Zhao's own son is not interested in learning the craft.

Several years ago, the music society merged with the Xi'an Jiaotong University, where eight teachers from the university promised to help Zhao turn the old melodies into modern musical notations to be better understood by the laity. However, now there is only one teacher left working on the project, who says only 60 percent of the work is complete.

As for professional performing groups, Longzu Miaoyin, or "Sound of the Dragon," is the only orchestral group committed to performing purely Xi'an ancient music in Xi'an. The group, which is made up of more than 20 female artists, has staged more than 100 performances in the city since its establishment in 2000.

With the government vowing to preserve and revive Xi'an ancient music, more groups specializing in the genre are expected to emerge in the city. But, as pop culture continues to influence the youth in urban areas, the old form is likely to have a hard time appealing to the majority.