Revisiting a forgotten passion

Piano schools for the elderly are offering many a chance to reignite their love for a musical instrument that was once considered a luxury item that few could afford, Zhou Wenting reports.

Zhang Lingxin, a 65-year-old retired school teacher in Shanghai, can now play two piano songs, Auld Lang Syne and Butterfly Lovers, or Liang Zhu, the Chinese version of Romeo and Juliet, after learning the piano for two years.

"I loved music when I was a little girl and learning to play the piano was my childhood dream. But having a piano was a luxury back then. Very few families could afford one," Zhang says.