A Study on Regional Folk Beliefs in Nuo Culture of Pingxiang, Jiangxi: Rituals, Identity, and Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage
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Abstract
Nuo culture is regarded as a living fossil of Chinese ritual drama, offering critical insights into the spiritual world and regional folk customs of grassroots Chinese society. The Nuo culture of Pingxiang, Jiangxi, sustains local community identity and cultural inheritance while embodying profound regional folk beliefs. With the global modernization and the conservation of intangible cultural heritage, questions arise regarding the current state of the internal belief system of Nuo culture in Pingxiang, Jiangxi, as well as the transformations it is undergoing. Adopting fieldwork methods, this study conducted empirical investigations in Pingxiang, Jiangxi, from July to August 2025. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 participants, including cultural inheritors,Nuo ritual troupe members, local villagers, and cultural administrators. Multiple Nuo ceremonies were observed and documented, and local chronicles and academic literature were integrated to analyze the folk beliefs inherent to Pingxiang Nuo culture. The findings indicate that Pingxiang Nuo culture constitutes a belief system characterized by both pragmatism and syncretism. Through structured deity hierarchies and stylized rituals, its folk beliefs provide spiritual solace for local residents and fulfill essential functions of social integration. From a global modernization perspective, this study reveals the cultural resilience of traditional folk beliefs amid widespread modern challenges. The conclusions provide practical references for the living heritage conservation of Pingxiang Nuo culture and offer a valuable case for cross-cultural folk custom research.
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