Chen Yuqing still remembers the day in 2019, when she posted a video of her singing a song of Changsha Huagu Opera ("flower-drum "opera), a traditional art form of Hunan province, while playing on four cups to produce rhythmic sounds, on the balcony of her apartment.

Chen, 27, had earlier posted photos of her onstage performances and rehearsals at the Changsha Huagu Opera Center on short-video platform Douyin, and was followed online by 20 people. Some asked if she could sing onscreen, and Chen made the video. Soon she had more than 20,000 followers.

Today, with 440,000 followers on Douyin, Chen posts more videos on the art form and livestream shows.

Chen says an online comment got her attention. It said, "So the local opera of my hometown still exists? I thought it died out."