Digital Virality and Rural Heritage: The Paozhutang Case
List of Authors
Fan Guosheng, Qi Gang
Keyword
Digital Virality; Intangible Cultural Heritage; Rural Revitalization; Algorithmic Culture; SDG 11
Abstract
The digital transformation of cultural heritage preservation presents a paradigm shift for Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11). This paper critically examines the intersection of algorithmic virality, rural revitalization, and Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) through a case study of the "Daidai Sister Paozhutang" event in Chongqing, China (January 2026), which generated 80 million video views and attracted thousands of urban tourists. By synthesizing Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) with network polarization theory, this study elucidates the dual mechanisms governing digital transmission of folk customs: UGT reveals user motivations including cognitive needs (folklore information acquisition) and emotional needs (nostalgic aesthetics), while network polarization theory illustrates the dual effects of "collective wisdom" and "ccollective lostness". This study introduces “collective lostness” as an analytical extension of network polarization theory. The analysis reveals that while short-video platforms democratize heritage visibility, they simultaneously introduce risks of overtourism and commodification that threaten rural communities' socio-ecological resilience. The findings suggest that sustainable digital heritage requires an "elastic governance" model integrating predictive analysis (social media monitoring), adaptive infrastructure (modular service systems), and community co-governance mechanisms to balance digital visibility with cultural authenticity preservation.