Cultural Sustainability Through Transformations of Feitao Ritual Performance Among the Maonan Ethnic Group in China

<p>This study examines the Feitao ritual of the Maonan ethnic group to explore how contemporary ethnic minorities in China understand and respond to the concept of cultural sustainability. In the context of rapid economic growth and social transformation, developing countries like China face a persistent challenge: balancing urban development with the preservation of historical identities and the cultural memories embedded in traditional minority rituals. Employing an ethnographic approach, this study investigates the different understandings of sustainability among Maonan community members, scholars, and government officials. The findings reveal that sustainability is often framed as an elitist ideal imposed through government-led efforts to transform and stage traditional minority rituals. This top-down approach raises concerns about the marginalization of local beliefs and practices. In response, the study proposes a consensus-building strategy that respects indigenous cultural values while accommodating the adaptive staging of ethnic minority ritual music. This strategy aims to achieve the goals of cultural heritage preservation and the defense of cultural memory and to provide insights for developing countries in dealing with the challenges of modernization.</p>