Developing innovative strategies for the protection and revitalization of Liuzi opera in China

Abstract

This study explores the integration of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) frameworks and art anthropology theories as an innovative way to strengthen the protection and revitalization of Liuzi Opera, a representative traditional opera of Shandong Province, China. It aims to identify current practices and challenges while exploring how integrating ICH frameworks and art anthropology theories can help sustainable cultural preservation. Adopting a qualitative, exploratory case study design, the research was conducted in Shandong Province and involved semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 15 participants, including policymakers, representatives from the cultural department, Liuzi Opera performers, staff of the Liuzi Opera Heritage and Protection Center, and academicians at Shandong University of the Arts. Data were analyzed thematically to capture recurring patterns related to ICH frameworks, art anthropology theories, policies, practices, cultural meanings, and inheritance dynamics. The results reveal that existing safeguarding efforts focus largely on documentation, staged performances, and institutional training but often neglect community-based contexts such as festivals, temple fairs, and apprenticeship networks that have historically sustained Liuzi Opera. Integrating ICH principles with anthropological insights into ritual, performance, identity, and community engagement provides a more dynamic, participatory approach that revitalizes both cultural practices and intergenerational transmission. This study contributes to the existing literature by refining theoretical understandings of ICH protection. It uses new analytical insights to integrate policy, education, and community roles. It is one of very few studies investigating Liuzi Opera safeguarding. The primary contribution of this paper is documenting strategies that ensure its living continuity.