Jiang Changjie beats a Taiping drum on the Loess Plateau. [Photo/Gansu Daily]

In Jiangjiaying village, Yuzhong county, Lanzhou, Gansu province, Jiang Changjie, a third-generation inheritor, upholds the traditional handcrafted art of making Taiping drums, ensuring this craft continues to thrive through time.

The Jiang family's connection with the Taiping drum began in the 1960s. Jiang's grandfather, originally a carpenter, crafted the family's first drum. His father then devoted four to five decades to mastering and refining the craft. Today, Jiang has fully taken up the mantle, infusing every step of the drum-making process with profound respect and artistic dedication.

Creating a Taiping drum involves over 10 intricate steps, including wood selection, barrel hooping, sanding, skin mounting, and decorative painting. Jiang uses poplar and paulownia wood for their stability, joins the planks with traditional bone glue, and shapes the drum body with iron hoops. The most critical step is mounting the drumhead, for which Jiang insists on using authentic oxhide. Drawing on his deep experience, he carefully adjusts the tension to ensure the drum produces a rich, penetrating sound. 

While firmly rooted in tradition, Jiang actively embraces innovation. He livestreams the drum-making process to engage a wider audience and foster greater appreciation for Taiping drum culture. For the Jiang family, these drums are more than musical instruments; they are vessels carrying folk memories and the spirit of craftsmanship across three generations.