A228: Preservation and Dissemination of Taijiquan Culture in Digital Perspective

One of China’s most iconic cultural traditions has increasingly gained: Taijiquned global recognition: Taijiquned. However, rapid digitalization has significantly changed young people's cultural preferences and participation habits, posing challenges to traditional methods of cultural preservation, which often fail to resonate with youth, creating a noticeable disconnect. This study examines the potential of digital communication—especially short videos, livestreaming, and social media—to preserve and disseminate Taijiquan culture through interactive, youth-oriented methods. Specifically, it empirically explores whether digital media strategies effectively improve younger generations’ cultural awareness, participation motivation, and cultural identity, aiming to provide practical insights for digital heritage protection. A randomized controlled experiment involving 200 young participants (aged 18-35) from Zhengzhou City was conducted, with participants randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (n=100 each). Over eight weeks, the experimental group engaged with digital interventions—including short video dissemination, interactive livestreaming, and social media communities—while the control group experienced only traditional methods (lectures and printed materials). Data were collected pre- and post-intervention via structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews, assessing cultural awareness, willingness to participate, and cultural identity. Quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and t-tests using SPSS 26.0, while qualitative interview data underwent thematic analysis for deeper interpretation. Quantitative findings indicated significant improvements in the experimental group's cultural awareness (M=4.28 vs. 3.56, p < 0.01), participation willingness (M=4.31 vs. 3.47, p < 0.01), and cultural identity (M=4.25 vs. 3.52, p < 0.01) compared to the control group. Qualitative data revealed that young participants perceived digital methods as “more engaging and relatable,” appreciating especially the interactive aspects of short videos and social media interactions, which effectively stimulated their interest and active involvement. Conversely, traditional approaches were described as “dull and uninspiring,” failing to foster emotional connection or motivation to participate. This study confirms that digital communication significantly outperforms traditional methods in engaging younger audiences in Taijiquan culture, aligning with previous findings highlighting new media effectiveness. Importantly, the research highlights that interactive and engaging content is crucial for youth cultural participation. However, due to the geographically limited sample, future research should expand to diverse regions to enhance generalizability. Additionally, further studies might explore personalized digital content design. Practically, the study recommends that cultural institutions proactively leverage the youth-friendly characteristics of digital platforms to position Taijiquan as a “trendy culture,” thus ensuring its vibrant preservation and meaningful engagement among contemporary youth.