Protecting Intangible Cultural Heritage Through Regional Cooperation: De'ang Water Drum Dance and the Belt and Road Initiative

Abstract

Background:
Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of ethnic minority communities is increasingly threatened by socioeconomic transformation, generational discontinuities, and cultural commodification. The De’ang Water Drum Dance, a ritual-based performing tradition of the De’ang ethnic group in Yunnan, China, embodies ecological ethics, spiritual beliefs, and communal identity, yet faces significant sustainability challenges. Regional cooperation frameworks may offer new pathways for safeguarding such living heritage.

Objective:
This study aims to examine how regional cooperation mechanisms associated with the Belt and Road Initiative can contribute to the protection, transmission, and sustainable development of the De’ang Water Drum Dance, while maintaining cultural integrity and community agency.

Methods:
A qualitative case study design was employed, integrating ethnographic fieldwork, participant observation, semi-structured interviews with cultural practitioners and policy stakeholders, and multi-level policy analysis. Data were analyzed thematically using triangulation across community narratives, institutional practices, and regional cooperation frameworks.

Results:
Findings indicate that the De’ang Water Drum Dance functions as a holistic cultural system with ritual, social, and ecological dimensions. Intergenerational transmission emerged as the primary vulnerability, exacerbated by youth migration and limited institutional support. Existing safeguarding measures were largely symbolic and event-driven. Regional cooperation initiatives enhanced visibility, capacity building, and cultural confidence, but also raised concerns regarding commercialization and loss of cultural autonomy.

Conclusion:
The study concludes that regional cooperation can serve as an effective complementary mechanism for safeguarding minority ICH when grounded in community-centered governance. Aligning Belt and Road cultural cooperation with participatory, ethical safeguarding principles is essential to ensure the dynamic continuity of the De’ang Water Drum Dance and similar living heritage traditions.