Download pdf
A bibliometric study of intangible cultural heritage and community research
- 1 Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study adopts bibliometric methods to systematically review the development trajectory of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and community research from 2003 to 2025. Using the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database as the data source, 235 relevant documents published between 2003 and 2025 were selected as samples. Bibliometric techniques were applied, and statistical analysis was conducted with the help of the CiteSpace visualization tool to reveal the overall trends and key characteristics of research in this field. The study analyzes annual trends, keyword frequencies, research institutions, the evolution of research hotspots, and future trends, and ultimately presents a scientific knowledge map based on data visualization to outline the research context. The results show that research on ICH communities has been steadily growing, but a mature research framework has yet to be established. Core topics focus on community participation, educational inheritance, and protection practices. Emerging trends show dual drivers in tourism development and legal protection. However, current research still faces challenges such as weak research capacity, a high number of prolific authors, and a limited number of institutions. In recent years, there has been a significant practical shift in ICH research, deeply aligning with the national cultural development strategy. A multidimensional research framework has been established in areas such as cultural industry innovation, technological integration, and interdisciplinary platform development. Among these, the construction of community subjectivity as an emerging theoretical perspective is driving the transformation and reconstruction of the ICH protection paradigm.
Keywords
intangible cultural heritage, community, bibliometrics, CiteSpace
[1]. Yan, W. (2024). Progress, hotspots, and trends in Chinese popular science journal research: A visualization analysis based on CiteSpace knowledge map. Chinese Journal of Science and Technology Periodicals, 35(02), 163-170.
[2]. Yi, K. (2024). A literature-based review of museum experience design research: A bibliometric analysis. Packaging Engineering, 45(20), 272-284. https://doi.org/10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2024.20.025
[3]. Tang, L. (2024). A visual analysis of research on ideological and political education in university English courses: A statistical analysis of CNKI literature from 2018 to 2023. Journal of Wuzhou University, 34(01), 90-99.
[4]. Liu, L. (2018). Research on the intangible cultural heritage of Bailu Ancient Village in the context of the post-industrial era (Master’s thesis). Gan Nan Normal University.
[5]. Huang, S., & Chen, W. (2024). Research on visual culture innovation in the digital dissemination of intangible cultural heritage. Cultural Exchange between China and Foreign Countries, (10), 106-108.
[6]. Yan, W., & Wang, J. (2025). Twenty years of rural communication research in China: Hotspots, evolution, and outlook — A visualization analysis based on CiteSpace knowledge map. Southeast Communication, (01), 44-49. https://doi.org/10.13556/j.cnki.dncb.cn35-1274/j.2025.01.010
[7]. Peng, J. (2024). Research on the development of adult education courses for traditional craftsmanship intangible cultural heritage in communities (Master’s thesis). Sichuan Normal University. https://doi.org/10.27347/d.cnki.gssdu.2024.001453
[8]. Sun, J., & Yan, H. (2024). Using “community” as a method: Cultural heritage paths from the perspectives of sociology and anthropology. Southeast Culture, (06), 6-12.
[9]. Peng, M. (2025). From expert-led to community participation: The formation of public folklore in the United States and the “Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.” Folklore Studies, (01), 62-74+157. https://doi.org/10.13370/j.cnki.fs.2025.01.004
[10]. Li, S. (2024). Research on the community-based inheritance of intangible cultural heritage: A case study of Gupo Song. Journal of Yangtze University (Social Science Edition), 47(06), 46-50.
[11]. Chen, X. (2024). Research on library strategies for community education and promotion in the protection of local cultural heritage. Media Forum, 7(14), 110-113.
[12]. Zhu, H., Wen, Y., & Zhang, H. (2024). Current status, hotspots, and trends in international deep leisure research: A knowledge map analysis based on the Web of Science core database (1982–2023). In Proceedings of the 1st National Outdoor Adventure and Leisure Sports High-Quality Development Seminar, 2nd National “Leisure Sports” National First-Class Undergraduate Program Construction Seminar, and 2nd Capital University Leisure Sports Academic Paper Report Conference (p. 15). Beijing Sport University, Sports Leisure and Tourism College. https://doi.org/10.26914/c.cnkihy.2024.014307
[13]. Xu, D., & Liu, Z. (2023). A review of the current status of Chinese foreign language research from the perspective of “new liberal arts”: A visual analysis based on CiteSpace knowledge map (2018–2022). Journal of Guizhou Normal University, 39(2), 74–84. https://doi.org/10.13391/j.cnki.issn.1674-7798.2023.02.011
[14]. Tian, J. (2024). The protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage from a community perspective. China Ethnic Expo, (8), 26–28.
[15]. Pu, Y. (2021). A knowledge map analysis of research dynamics in hospital party building. Gansu Medical Journal, 40(4), 362–364+370. https://doi.org/10.15975/j.cnki.gsyy.2021.04.025
[16]. Zhang, J. (2024). Practical exploration of the role of intangible cultural heritage in urban community construction. Journal of Jingdezhen College, 39(2), 1–6.
[17]. Yang, H. (2024). Initial exploration of the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage in online virtual communities. Cultural Heritage, (2), 9–16.
[18]. Zhou, H. (2024). Discussion on the integration of intangible cultural heritage into community cultural construction. China Ethnic Expo, (4), 61–63.
[19]. Yang, L. H. (2023). “Bringing the community’s voice to the forefront”: Multiple practice models of intangible cultural heritage protection and community participation. Journal of Yunnan Normal University (Philosophy and Social Science Edition), 55(6), 45–55.
[20]. Zhang, M. F. (2023). Community education’s role in protecting intangible cultural heritage in ethnic regions of China. Journal of Qiqihar University (Philosophy and Social Science Edition), (8), 76–78. https://doi.org/10.13971/j.cnki.cn23-1435/c.2023.08.013
[21]. He, T. T. (2023). Research on rural cultural heritage protection strategies under the concept of community museums: A case study of Shuyi Village in Changsha, Hunan Province. Village Committee Director, (6), 137–140.
[22]. Ju, Y. Y., & Cheng, L. (2023). The formation mechanism of heritage responsibility behavior in tourism communities at cultural heritage sites: Based on fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. Journal of Natural Resources, 38(5), 1135–1149.
[23]. Wang, Q. C. (2023). Listening to the voices of heritage owners (Doctoral dissertation). Guangxi University for Nationalities. https://doi.org/10.27035/d.cnki.ggxmc.2023.000235
[24]. Li, L. Y. (2023). Research on the reconstruction of community education inheritance paths for intangible cultural heritage: A case study of the Mosukun of the Oroqen nationality. Heilongjiang Ethnic Journal, (2), 146–151. https://doi.org/10.16415/j.cnki.23-1021/c.2023.02.021
[25]. Shi, J. D. (2023). Inheritance paths of intangible cultural heritage in cultural ecological protection areas: From the perspective of residents’ community cultural participation. China Ethnic Expo, (3), 72–74.
[26]. Gu, C. X. (2023). Inheritance and aesthetic education practices of cultural heritage in “community scenes”. Cultural Education Materials, (3), 30–33.
[27]. Feng, L., & Zhao, J. W. (2022). Lived co-construction: Intangible cultural heritage protection practices in community museums. Northwest Ethnic Studies, (4), 93–101. https://doi.org/10.16486/j.cnki.62-1035/d.20220823.001
[28]. Li, F. (2022). Research on improving citizens’ quality through “intangible cultural heritage enters the community” activities. China Literary Artists, (6), 175–177.
Cite this article
Cao,S. (2025). A bibliometric study of intangible cultural heritage and community research. Advances in Humanities Research,12(2),1-11.
Data availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.
Disclaimer/Publisher's Note
The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s). EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.
About volume
Journal：Advances in Humanities Research
© 2024 by the author(s). Licensee EWA Publishing, Oxford, UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Authors who
publish this series agree to the following terms:
1. Authors retain copyright and grant the series right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this
series.
2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the series's published
version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial
publication in this series.
3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and
during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See
Open access policy for details).