Crafting Heritage in the Digital Age: The Online Dissemination of Celadon by Contemporary Chinese Artisans

Abstract. This study examines how young celadon artisans in China utilize digital platforms to negotiate authenticity and visibility in the transmission of intangible cultural heritage (ICH). Drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital and ethnographic fieldwork in M City, the paper reveals how digital storytelling, visual aesthetics, and curated narratives allow artisans to reinterpret traditional craftsmanship. The findings show that while digitalization democratizes heritage representation, it also introduces platform logics and symbolic pressures. This study highlights how artisans negotiate authenticity, transforming cultural capital across artistic, commercial, and affective domains in response to both state discourse and neoliberal consumer culture.