[Photo provided to China Daily]

In 2010 a guqin that was owned by Emperor Huizong (1082-1135) of the Northern Song Dynasty fetched 137 million yuan in an auction in Beijing, setting the highest record ever for a musical instrument. The following year, also in Beijing, a guqin of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) was sold at auction for 115 million yuan.

As the guqin regains recognition in China, the number is gradually increasing.

Sui has been invited to give lectures at the National Museum of China about the guqin for college students and museum visitors.

"I have three dreams before I die: to have a private guqin museum, to exhibit my guqin making products, and to publish a book about guqin making. I don't want to live my life in vain. I want to leave at least one work, which can be called legacy."