For Liu Yuxin, marching to the beat of his own drum has been an apt mantra for his life.

The 55-year-old from Liuyuan in Tianjin's Beichen district is a fifth-generation teacher of the village's very own intangible cultural heritage — Liuyuan Xiangyin Fa drumming.

This dharma drumming tradition emerged in the area during the rule of Emperor Daoguang (1820-50) in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In the village of Liuyuan, drumming was performed for Buddhist, Taoist and folk rituals, often to bring good fortune.

Some two centuries on, and in the summer courtyards of Liuyuan, the drums still ring out, joined by the crash of cymbals, the melodic parps of bamboo flutes and reed pipes, and the whir of mouth organs.

At the village's Liuyuan Xiangyin Fa Drumming Training Base, where teacher Liu plies his trade, a broad spectrum of music lovers, from age 5 to 80, learn and practice together.

"We offer free classes about the history and movements of Xiangyin Fa drumming, hoping to inspire more people's love and interest in this traditional art," said Liu, who is one of Tianjin's 16 representatives listed in the sixth batch of national intangible cultural heritage inheritors.

In June 2008, the drumming was named a national intangible cultural heritage, according to the Tianjin Intangible Cultural Heritage Network.

Liu said that Liuyuan Xiangyin Fa drumming mainly consists of drums, cymbals and gongs of different sizes, but that other instruments are also sometimes included.

Each classical score comes with its own performance routines and unique movements, said Liu, before demonstrating how to hold the drumsticks and ways to strike the skins.

"We encourage our students, who are mostly locals, to actively participate in performances to promote this national intangible cultural heritage art," Liu said.

Every year, the Liuyuan Xiangyin Fa drumming troupe collaborates with other intangible cultural heritages, such as stilt-walking, to hold the "Spring of the Canal" flower fair performance.

"The older generation of inheritors of these skills are generally less well educated, so they had more time to practice when they were younger," Liu said. "We hope the next generation can help promote the intangible cultural heritage through enhancing cultural literacy."

In August, during the school summer vacation, the training base was abuzz with activity.

"It's rare for the training base to be so lively," said Liu. "Watching the children, we see the hope for the inheritance of our intangible cultural heritage.

"The current inheritance is not easy. Some children are busy with their studies, and some find it too arduous, quitting after just a few lessons. We very much cherish the children who persist in their studies," he said.

On the wall of the training base hangs a large group photo, which was taken in 2011 when writer Feng Jicai donated 50,000 yuan ($7,150). It was taken together with three generations of inheritors and enthusiasts during an unveiling ceremony.

Liu pointed to a child sitting in the lap of an elder man in the front row and said, "This is Liu Xianglong, my son. He was only 3 years old that year and had already started learning Liuyuan Xiangyin Fa drumming. Now he's in university and still practices here during summer vacation."

The training base has collaborated with nearby Beicang Primary School, offering an hour-long Liuyuan Xiangyin Fa drumming training course every Thursday or Friday during the teaching week, according to Liu Yuxin.

Liu Xiangqian's 7-year-old daughter goes to Beicang Primary School and has been learning the drums for four years.

He said that participating in the training enriches the children's after-school time and immerses them in local culture.

For photographer Liu Deliang, learning old skills and traditions is important in preserving people's collective memory.

"Culture is the foundation of learning. Especially in today's era of rapid development in artificial intelligence and robotics, a lack of cultural foundation will affect the inheritance of skills," said Liu Deliang.

He often shoots videos of Liuyuan Xiangyin Fa drumming performances, showcasing the charm of this intangible cultural heritage from a photographic perspective, and has even set up a 1,700-yuan prize to reward students who excel in both skills and school.

"In the future, I hope to integrate AI technology into the performance forms of Xiangyin Fa drumming, making it more acceptable to young people and maintaining a combination of tradition and modernity," Liu Deliang said.

Chen Yijun contributed to this story.