From cultural heritage to platformized craft: Visual participation and cultural governance in China's jade-carving art

Abstract

This article examines how jade carving in Guangzhou, a traditional craft with deep cultural meaning, is being reshaped by the combined forces of digital platforms and state policy. Drawing on interviews with artisans and intermediaries, visual analysis of online content, and policy documents, the study explores how handmade work becomes redefined when translated into images, performances, and institutional frameworks. Rather than a simple break between “traditional” and “digital,” the study highlights continuities in mediation. Findings show that platforms alter aesthetics and rhythms of production, while policies guide recognition, training, and legitimacy. Artisans and cultural actors negotiate these pressures in ways that generate both opportunities and constraints. By situating platformized craft within China's cultural governance, the study offers a new perspective on how heritage adapts, survives, and acquires value in a mediated world.