Tourism and Grand Song: The Role and Influence on the Life of Young Women in Xiaohuang

Folk music forms an integral part of life in ethnic villages, and its importance can be observed in many aspects of the traditional culture prevalent within these settings. Due to the economic benefits associated with tourism, ethnic minority groups have been endeavoring to repackage their cultural heritage into tourism products to maximize their commodity value. While considerable research has been undertaken on folk music in the context of commercialization or authenticity, the impact of tourism on community and link to gender issues has received little attention. Thus, this study explores the Grand Song as an ethnic tourism product and its influence on the present-day life of people residing in the village of Xiaohuang. The key finding is that although ethnic tourism based on the Grand Song performance on stage is not fully developed and cannot yet lead to economic benefits in Xiaohuang, it plays a significant role in preventing young villagers from departing from Xiaohuang in pursuit of work and in providing young married women with leisure opportunities to break the tedium of their daily routines as well as monetary benefits.