Transmission strategies and success factors of intangible cultural heritage: A case study of Taiyuan Luogu drum music art

Yuanyue Liu, Narongruch Woramitmaitree and Tawanchai Suanmonta

African Educational Research Journal
Published: March 10 2026
Volume 14, Issue 1
Pages 177-183
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18937157

Abstract

This study examines the transmission strategies and success factors of Taiyuan Luogu Drum Music Art, a National Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) facing an existential crisis due to rapid urbanization. The research was conducted to address the academic gap between historical documentation and the practical organizational management required for the art form's contemporary survival. Utilizing a qualitative case study design focused on the Tai Zhong Luogu Performing Art Troupe in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, data were collected through four phases of fieldwork, including semi-structured interviews with key transmitters and direct observations of rehearsals. The findings reveal a significant shift from informal, family-based transmission to a professionalized model of an art troupe. Key results indicate that success is driven by three pillars: professional positioning that rebrands folk ritual as high-value art, a standardized pedagogical system for technical precision, and a modern administrative framework that separates management from artistic execution. Additionally, the strategic use of ICH status as symbolic capital and the integration of multicultural elements were critical to market adaptation. These findings are important because they provide a replicable framework for cultural administrators and educators to transform fading traditions into sustainable, professionalized enterprises. The study concludes that the survival of ancient rhythms in the 21st century depends on balancing historical integrity with strategic organizational innovation.

Keywords: Taiyuan Luogu, intangible cultural heritage, transmission strategies, professionalization, Shanxi folk music.

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