Tang Yingying, a 19-year-old history major, bears clear hallmarks of the Chinese younger generation: she oozes confidence and a sense of superiority; and different from older generations, she often says "I" instead of "we." She wants to live her life according to her own ideas and she dares to pursue success, excellence and new things. But the university junior admits that she has some unusual hobbies for her age. Influenced by her grandfather, Tang is a big Peking Opera fan. She also likes Chinese traditional crafts, prompting her decision to major in history.

For the time being, Tang's biggest hope is to become a volunteer for the 2008 Olympics. This Beijing girl will graduate from university about the time the capital hosts the 29th Games. "I will study for a master's degree later, but, during the summer vacation, I can be an Olympics volunteer."

Tang is a little confused over choosing from a kaleidoscope of voluntary services, such as interpretation, reception, medical care and stadium guide.

But she finally had a revelation on seeing a news item on the Internet: China's leading instant messaging service provider Tencent and the Chinese Young Volunteers Association had jointly launched a national campaign to protect the nation's non-material cultural heritage. Different from other such campaigns, this program is to enlist registered young volunteers to become candidate apprentices for craftsmen of traditional arts that are on the verge of extinction.

Tang learned that China's only craftsman carrying on the tradition of making bristle dolls, Bai Dacheng, was seeking apprentices.

"I once saw a bristle doll performance by Bai on TV," said an excited Tang, and she found them intricate mimics of the images presented in Peking opera. During the performance, Bai put two bristle dolls dressed as warriors on a bronze plate and knocked the plate with a wooden stick. This created a rhythm to which the two dolls responded, their arms and hands "coming to life." Recalling this unforgettable show, Tang became so excited.

The manufacturing of bristle dolls originated over 100 years ago, deeply influenced by Peking opera and leather shadow puppet performances. Earlier craftsmen made the body of the six-inch puppets with clay and straw and dressed them in a silk coat; finally, the faces were painted to mimic the masks of Peking opera. The last procedure requires sticking a flexible bristle under the bust of the puppets so that this elasticity enables them to move rhythmically. That's how performance of bristle dolls earns its name, "show on a plate."

The craft of making bristle dolls was on the verge of extinction in the 1940s when war ravaged the country. Bai, who was raised in a traditional Chinese hutong [alleyway], has enjoyed Peking opera and painting for as long as he can remember. Despite his drawing and painting talents, however, he rarely thought he could one day become the successor to the art of making bristle dolls.