As “digital existence” emerges as a new paradigm of human civilization, disseminating intangible cultural heritage (ICH) among China’s ethnic minorities urgently needs to transition from physical spaces to digital media platforms. This research examines short video content showcasing Guangxi Zhuang culture on Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok). Using Python web scraping technology, it collected 2,126 video accounts presenting Guangxi Zhuang culture. Employing the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) as its theoretical framework and utilizing multiple research methods (Python scraping, structured interviews, and content analysis), the research conducts a multidimensional analysis of ICH visual samples from the Guangxi Zhuang community on Douyin. The study examines how the intangible cultural heritage of the Zhuang—China’s most populous ethnic minority—is represented in digital media. Findings reveal a phenomenon termed “struggling representation”: a necessary yet compromised form of cultural expression emerging from creators’ ongoing negotiation between their “internal drive to preserve cultural continuity” and “powerful external pressures from platform algorithms and the attention economy.” Simultaneously, this study explores the ecological restructuring logic of ICH dissemination within digital media environments. By grounding our analysis in the critical case combination of “China’s largest ethnic minority” and “most representative digital platforms,” we construct and propose a “Dual-Pathway-Six-Dimensional” ecological model for ICH visual dissemination. This model provides a robust theoretical foundation and transferable practical strategies for the sustainable digital dissemination of intangible cultural heritage.
Qin et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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