95-year-old man plays piano four hours every day

A 95-year-old man in Southwest China's Chongqing recently received many likes online for playing piano four hours every day over 20 years.

Xue Mingjing, a vocal and former music professor, began to practice it as a hobby since he retired in 2001.  

The elderly usually plays the piano from 10 am to noon and from 3 pm to 6 pm -- spending more than four hours on average daily with the instrument. Pieces by Bach are his favorite.

"I'll keep playing until I can't move my fingers," he said. "Music is my best nourishment."

Born in a poor family in Longchang, Sichuan province, in 1926, Xue started to learn music after junior middle school and at 16, he was recruited in a military music school in Chongqing to study vocal music.

To make ends meet, Xue worked part-time and studied hard. 

In 1945, he was enrolled in the art department in National Central University in Nanjing.

Xue said it was music that has given him great comfort and encouragement in the lonely and turbulent days.

In 1949, Xue was employed as a music teacher in National Women's Normal University in Chongqing, now a part of Southwest University, and became the youngest lecturer at the school.

He dedicated himself to music teaching for 52 years before retirement.

Xiang Xiaohui and Zhao Man contributed to this story.

Video by Zhao Yinyue