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Photos: Drum-making faces decline in machine age

Traditional drum-making is in decline. Eighty steps are required to make a drum in the traditional way, and preparing the leather alone takes one month. With the introduction of factory-built drums, it is becoming increasingly difficult for craftsmen such as Li Xiaoqing of Sichuan province to make a living. Li says the unavailability of leather has accelerated the decline of his craft. Fewer cattle are now raised in rural areas due to the widespread use of machinery in farming.