Cultural commodification as cultural sustainability: a case study of the Xiangxi Tujia Bai Shou dance

This study focuses on the commodification of the Tujia Bai Shou Dance in China and its impact on cultural sustainability. Historically, Bai Shou Dance was a ritual dance. Since the 21st century, commodification has caused it to stray from its traditional form and essence, transforming it into a dance performed at tourist attractions. This situation has sparked discussion among Chinese scholars: the commodification phenomenon undermines the authenticity of the dance. Instead, this study seeks to consider commodification as a way to promote cultural sustainability. Exemplifying the Furong Town case, this study applied the cultural sustainability proposed by Soini and Birkeland. Through interviews, focus group discussions with ten stakeholders, and participatory observation in Furong Town, thematic analysis was conducted to explore how the commodification of Bai Shou Dance functions as a mechanism for cultural sustainability. The findings of this study indicate that commodification activates the inheritance mechanism through economic incentives, expands the scope of dissemination through form innovation, and improves the quality of performance through capital reinvestment, thus creating a sustainable ecosystem for cultural transmission. These findings challenge the binary opposition between authenticity and commodification and provide policymakers with evidence-based strategies for leveraging tourism to safeguard intangible cultural heritage.