Dynamics of ganji: exploring the transformation and sustainability of a rural marketplace in Southwest China from the perspective of spatial practice

Abstract This paper explores the transformation and sustainability of rural marketplaces in Southwest China through the lens of spatial practice. Drawing on ethnographic data from Qingyangba, it examines ganji (赶集)—the periodic market gatherings—as a form of living heritage. The study reveals how local communities adapt to modernity by reshaping traditional marketing spaces into hybrid socio-cultural hubs while navigating inherent conflicts in their pursuit of a better life. Rather than focusing solely on the decline of rural marketplaces or interpreting their evolution through structural or functional changes, this paper argues from the practitioners’ perspective. It highlights that the challenges confronting living heritage are fundamentally linked to shifts in everyday life. Key factors such as maintaining community vitality, fostering public engagement, and heightened national awareness of traditional practices fuel a renewed cultural pride and identity, facilitating ongoing transformation and sustainability of activities in marketplaces as living heritage.