A Study on the Strategies for Enhancing Cultural Identity through Museum-Based Entertainment Programs: Focusing on the Chinese Cultural Program <National Treasures>

With the acceleration of globalization, cultural homogenization and crises of cultural identity have become widespread phenomena around the world. As digital media continues to proliferate, its cultural influence is expanding significantly. Cultural entertainment programs—knowledge-based formats that integrate entertainment with cultural content—are increasingly recognized as effective tools for rebuilding cultural confidence and reinforcing cultural identity. NationalTreasures (国家宝藏), a museum-themed entertainment program in China, has garnered widespread popularity since its debut. It has sparked a cultural phenomenon centered on national treasures housed in Chinese museums, leading to a significant increase in visitor numbers at local museums.<br/> This study aims to explore strategies for enhancing cultural identity through museum-themed entertainment programs, focusing on National Treasures as a case study. Using the Onion Model of Culture as a theoretical framework, the program is analyzed in terms of how it engages with four cultural dimensions: symbols, heroes, collective memory, and values. The analysis reveals that National Treasures selects national artifacts corresponding to these dimensions and effectively uncovers their embedded cultural meanings, symbolic value, and spiritual significance. Through the dual narrative structure of &quotpast life stories&quot and &quotpresent life stories,&quot the program reconstructs the cultural context and relevance of these treasures for contemporary audiences.<br/> By deriving strategies for strengthening cultural identity through museum-based entertainment, this study offers practical insights that can inform the<br/>development of similar cultural entertainment programs in other countries.