Safeguarding the Intangible Heritage of Yunnan Spinning Tops: A Study from the Perspective of Living Heritage Theory

Abstract

Amid modernization challenges, Yunnan spinning top culture (Jizong, Jinggu, and Shuangbai) exemplifies the adaptive crisis faced by intangible cultural heritage (ICH), where conventional preservation models struggle to sustain its living essence. While prior research prioritizes static documentation, this study employs living heritage theory to decode the cultural genetics of spinning top traditions through ethnographic fieldwork and policy analysis. Findings reveal that survival threats originate from the erosion of three core cultural genes: ritual symbolism, craftsmanship epistemology, and collective memory transmission. The research proposes a three-tiered conservation framework: Genetic Priority safeguards cultural DNA through digitizing endangered techniques and establishing decentralized authentication systems, while ethically reinterpreting ritual practices via augmented reality narratives; Functional Adaptation innovates dual mechanisms preserving heritage-grade craftsmanship alongside adaptive derivatives like sensor-enabled cultural artifacts; System-Technology-Community Synergy integrates legal safeguards, AI-assisted skill transmission, and cross-regional governance networks. As living heritage theory emphasizes, protection requires not fossilization but revitalization through innovation. This paradigm shift enables Yunnan spinning tops to transcend the traps of musealization, achieving a transformation from static heritage to dynamic "living capital" through four-dimensional synergy: genetic continuity, technological adaptation, institutional empowerment, and community agency. The framework provides actionable pathways for traditional practices to function as social infrastructure in globalizing societies, ultimately enhancing cultural sustainability through symbiotic evolution.