Abstract:
Based on the community theory, this paper proposes the concept of Intangible Cultural Heritage Community of Traditional Villages, aiming to construct its analytical framework and interpret the conceptual connotation, structural characteristics and formation mechanism. Adopting the methods of literature review, theoretical deduction and multi-case comparative analysis, this study investigates the intangible cultural heritage practices of multiple stakeholders in villages.The research findings indicate that diverse stakeholders in traditional villages carry out inheritance practices centering on one or multiple items of intangible cultural heritage based on shared knowledge systems, values and emotional memories, thereby forming a social living organism with high cohesion and cultural identity. This organism encompasses three dimensions: culture-behavior functional entity, society-space integrated entity, and relationship-network interactive entity.The intangible cultural heritage community presents threefold structural characteristics: the organizational and differential order of stakeholder relations, the hierarchical and systematic nature of cultural forms, as well as the overlapping and dynamic attributes of spatial fields. Driven by endogenous forces including the internal impetus of livelihood patterns, the organizational foundation of clan society, and the integrative function of collective rituals, it demonstrates unique adaptability and resilience under external intervention. This research can provide theoretical guidance for the conservation practice of intangible cultural heritage in traditional villages.