Safeguarding the Sonic Heritage of Jin Opera: A Critical Review of Musical Preservation Practices in China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Context

This study critically examines the preservation of traditional Jin opera, a regionally significant intangible cultural heritage (ICH) from Shanxi, China, with an emphasis on its musical components. Jin opera’s distinctive vocal techniques, instrumental traditions, and melodic structures are increasingly endangered by modernization, audience decline, and transmission discontinuities. Synthesizing interdisciplinary scholarship from heritage studies, ethnomusicology, and cultural policy, this review assesses current preservation strategies—ranging from archival documentation and educational initiatives to digital technologies and adaptive modernization—while interrogating their efficacy and limitations. Key challenges include institutional inertia, aging practitioner demographics, and the tension between authenticity and innovation in a globalized cultural landscape. Proposing a sustainable preservation framework, this study integrates community engagement, advanced digital methodologies, and context-sensitive modernization, situating Jin opera within broader global ICH discourses. By identifying underexplored research avenues, such as acoustic analysis and comparative studies, this article contributes to theoretical and practical advancements in safeguarding musical heritage.