Original ecology folksongs, myth, and showbiz: a case study of musical sustainability among the Bulang ethnic group in Yunnan, China

This study explores a community-based cultural protection project among the Bulang ethnic group in several villages located in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province, southwest China. In 2008, ‘Bulang’s traditional singing and instrument playing’ (Bulangzu tanchang) was listed for protection under China’s intangible cultural heritage regulatory measures. This study documents Bulang musical heritage, explores the link between mythology and music, and analyses whether modern social changes endanger musical traditions or give rise to new aesthetics. It adopts an ethnomusicological perspective, focusing on sustainability amid the commodification of ethnicity for showbiz through staged performances for tourists. The fieldwork ranges from virtual digital spaces to the established ethnographic technique of participant observation. Fieldwork in Menghai village examines how the Bulang people represent themselves in media, stage performances, and popular music, negotiating and reshaping their musical identity. This study emphasises the relationship between the stage performances of ‘original ecology folksongs’ in media and the sustainability of Bulang music, with insights for the politics of intangible cultural heritage.