Liu and his master Wang Wenxi keep the clapper-talk tradition alive.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Liu has successively compiled clapper talk textbooks for Zhangzhuang primary school and Quanxin primary school. The tutorials are set to inspire the children. In the process of writing and researching, he found that very few pupils knew about the art; instead, they talked more about online games and animation.

"Clapper talk helps the mind exercise. It can improve the coordination between the brain, the limbs and the mouth. Giving benign stimulation to the cerebral cortex is an effective way to develop the right brain," he says. "As the lyrics follow a tempo, it also develops a child's sense of rhythm."

Liu emphasizes that the folk art pays attention to articulating the words and returning to the sound, using deep breathing, and transporting the air from the belly with vigor. "Besides polishing one's language skills, clapper talk can boost cognitive abilities and motor skills. In short, it is a gem of an art that cannot be lost," he says.

Inspired by a wooden musical instrument, shaped like a toad and producing a unique sound when there was friction between its serrated edges, Liu tried to replicate the rustic music by creating similar serrations on a pair of traditional clappers. He was able to produce a crisp "gadagada" sound.

He introduces the art to students in primary schools.[Photo provided to China Daily]

The modification buoyed the enthusiasm of many beginners, and Liu nicknamed the invention "toad board". It obtained a national design patent, and was mass-produced and sold at Shandong culture and art center grand theater and Jinan cultural and tourism bureau's online platform, among others.

To draw more children toward the folk performance, Liu made bold design improvements to the clapper board. The colors and themes included national blue-and-white porcelain, military camouflage and cartoon characters. These earned praise from enthusiasts of traditional culture as well.

With his teaching patterns being recognized by more schools, Liu is focusing on bringing his apprentices to a bigger stage. "What I have learned from my master is not just the skills of clapper talk, but also the virtue of being a dedicated mentor and a good person," he says.

Liu volunteered to teach more than 1,600 students. Now, he is passing down the art to more people through lectures and TV programs, and on social media platforms such as WeChat and Douyin. He interprets virtue through actions, uses integrity and kindness as the themes of his works, and composes a chapter of "the most beautiful youth in the new era".