Young women clad in traditional attire compete in a beauty contest.[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

In 2015, Li led a group of singers from the ethnic group to perform at the China pavilion during the Milan Expo in Italy.

"Zhu is a man of few words but he has dedicated his life to our songs. He is proud of our culture. I want to be like him," says Li.

According to He Zhike, director of the Yuanyang Cultural Center, the ancient songs are a cultural symbol of the Hani people because they have a wide range of music.

Births, weddings and deaths are regarded by Hani people as the three most important life events.

For example, there is a series of songs to express the sadness of a bride and her parents when they part after a wedding.

However, like many traditional arts in China, the ancient songs are dying out.

Few young people pick up the tradition as they look for jobs in the cities.