The hawking cries of street vendors used to be one of the liveliest sounds on the streets of old Beijing, but today they face an uncertain future. The craft of hawking - whereby peddlers use clear, unamplified voices to attract customers - is an oral art and intangible cultural heritage mastered by a dwindling number of experts. As these old masters pass away, few young people appear willing to learn the ancient craft and keep the tradition alive.

The custom originated when peddlers in Beijing had to shout in front of city walls before practicing their business. Their cries were more than just yelling though, and were often rhythmic and melodic.

Zang Hong, affectionately dubbed the "King of Hawking" in Beijing, died on February 19 aged 80. His death has raised concerns from cultural experts about the future of a craft that dates back at least 800 years in Beijing.

Born in 1932 in a poverty-stricken Manchu family, Zang quit school aged just nine to work as a newspaper vendor. To Zang, the old Beijing fairs and hutong life represented the heartland for hawkers and helped him hone his craft. He mastered all the hawking cries he learned over his career, hoping to preserve the ancient oral art. He not only enriched crosstalk (or xiangsheng) by infusing peddling elements, but also starred in more than 130 movies and TV shows, invariably playing the role of the hawker. In the 1981 movie Shangshi, he provided voiceovers for more than 70 different types of peddlers.

Zang was considered one of the "Four Hawking Masters of Beijing" during his lifetime, with the other three comprising of Zhang Zhengyuan, Zhang Guilan and Wu Rongzhang. Of the quartet, only Zhang Guilan and Wu are still alive, with Zhang Zhengyaun having passed away in 2010.

Gao Wei, secretary-general of the Beijing Folklore Society, paid tribute to Zang and the contribution he made to the hawking craft. "Zang brought hawking into folk performance. His passing is a great loss of for us," Gao eulogized.

Gao added that hawking has gradually won over Chinese people's hearts because of Zang's efforts. "Lectures and books cannot achieve what Zang's performances brought us," said Gao.

The younger generation's efforts to emulate Zang and other great hawkers is often hindered by lack of life experience.

Li Le, a 25-year-old crosstalk comedian, confessed that he once planned to learn the art of hawking, but only acquired a few tips. "I picked up some skills mostly out of the need to aid crosstalk performances, but to be a master of this craft you need time and patience - something a lot of younger folks don't have," said Li.

Han Shuo, a folk scholar and member of the Beijing Folklore Society, described hawking as "an art style of casual freedom" that makes it hard to research. Han pointed out that vendors from different areas have different hawking cries. Traditionally, most umbrella repairmen and shoe shiners were southerners, while many tinkers who mended pots and pans came from Hebei Province. "Zang Hong documented all the regional tones and tunes, and managed to perform them in different accents," Han noted. "How many young people could match this feat?"

Yang Jianye, director of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office at Dongcheng district, said the local government has established an "Old Beijing Art Troupe" and often invites masters to join their performances. "The government will also provide free venues for the artists, and some financial assistance," said Yang. "But if there is no inheritor of the hawking art recognized by cultural experts, they cannot receive funds."