Cultural Heritage in Transition: The Role of Baxian Folk Music in the Posthumanist Era

Abstract

Baxian folk music, centered around the Suona instrument, remains a vital element in the ritual fabric of Zhuang wedding ceremonies in Fengshan County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. This ethnographic study investigates the cultural, symbolic, and performative roles of Baxian music while also exploring its precarious status in an era shaped by rapid technological, economic, and sociocultural transformations. Drawing on fieldwork observations, interviews with tradition bearers, and archival research, the study reveals that Baxian music operates as both an artistic form and a vessel of collective memory. However, the oral-based transmission of this intangible heritage faces threats from modern media, generational disinterest, and shifting socio-economic dynamics. In response, the study proposes a hybrid model of preservation, merging traditional pedagogies with digital tools, educational integration, and algorithmic dissemination. By reframing Baxian music within a posthumanist discourse, the research highlights the entanglements of human and non-human agencies in sustaining cultural continuity, offering an inclusive and adaptive framework for its revitalization.