Construction of digital creation development model of intangible cultural heritage crafts in China

Through the three-level coding process of open coding, axial coding, selective coding and the theoretical saturation test, it is confirmed that The influencing factors and mechanism model of digital creative development in ICHCs model this paper constructed is a theoretical saturated model. Through analysis, it was found that the logical relationship of “cause-behavior-consequences” can effectively explain the formation mechanism and process of the Digital Creation Development Model of Intangible Cultural Heritage Craft. According to the model, the following six basic propositions can be obtained:

Drivers of digital creative development in ICHCs

The demand for the inheritance and innovation of ICHCs’ resources is the driven by inherent need cause of the digital creative development behavior of ICHCs, “driven by inherent need” concentrates on the value of Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts(ICHCs) itself and the necessity for its transmission. This motivator places greater emphasis on the safeguarding, continuation, and excavation of the cultural heritage’s inherent value. Creators and conservators of ICHCs seek a form of permanence that guarantees the preservation of skills and narratives for transmission to succeeding generations, a demand that is not wholly contingent on the immediate feedback of the market but emanates from an intrinsic need rooted in a profound comprehension of the culture itself and a sustained commitment, as well as the precursor for the development of the digital creative development behavior of ICHCs. In previous studies, numerous pieces of literature have affirmed this point of view. For example, Wu et al. (2021) proposed a method to enhance the preservation and safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) through the use of digital technology. This includes the establishment of digital archives and the utilization of virtual reality and augmented reality to showcase ICH. Pagán et al. (2020) integrated ICHCs with contemporary design concepts and employed digital tools to enhance traditional crafts. All of them are developed from the perspective of inheritance and innovation. Provide a foundation for the digital creative development of ICHC’s resources.

However, while previous studies have affirmed this viewpoint, there are also certain deficiencies. Firstly, there is still a relatively large space for research on the demand for resource inheritance and innovation of ICHCs, and there is also a need to further dig deeper into the intrinsic motivation and mechanism of the demand for resource inheritance and innovation of ICHCs (Yi et al. 2021). Secondly, there is insufficient research on the connection between digital creative development behavior and the needs for inheritance and innovation of ICHCs resources (Ma et al. 2019). Some studies have also failed to fully consider the actual role and impact of digital creative development behavior in exploring the inheritance and innovation of ICHCs.

However, this study found that the inherent need for the inheritance and innovation of ICHC’s resources plays a driving role in the digital creative development behavior of ICHCs. This is because Intangible Cultural Heritage crafts are inherently unique and scarce. If they are not inherited and innovated, there is a risk of them being lost (Peszko and Doll, 2020). When the inheritance and innovation needs of ICHCs are active, they have a significant driving effect on the behavior of digital creative development in ICHCs. The demand for the inheritance and innovation of ICHCs is an important driving force and purpose behind the development of digital creativity. If there is no demand for it, digital creative development behavior becomes meaningless. Therefore, the demand for the inheritance and innovation of ICHCs essentially involves exploring the continuous development of market-dependent non-heritage projects in the economic and cultural environment of the new era. This allows them to refine and innovate their crafts in market competition, while also ensuring the inheritance and continuation of their crafts during the process of obtaining benefits. There is a positive correlation between the development of digital creativity and the demand for the inheritance and innovation of ICHCs and resources. Only after fully recognizing the significance of preserving and advancing the cultural heritage of Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts, can we effectively foster the growth of digital creativity within these communities. This will ensure that ICHCs are better preserved and innovated upon.

Guaranteeing conditions for the development of digital creativity in ICHCs

The capacity for digital governance in the management and maintenance of heritage crafts resources is an internal guarantee for the development of digital creative behavior. Technical capability and the construction of a digital platform are external conditions that provide guarantees. Education and training support and Community collaboration support They all have a significant influence on the sustainability of the digital creative development behavior of traditional crafts. This study finds that continuous development of digital governance capacity can enable the formulation of reasonable policies and regulations to guide and regulate the development of digital creativity. It can also establish a robust regulatory mechanism to protect the intellectual property rights of Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts. Furthermore, it can enhance the synergistic governance capacity of the government, enterprises, and social organizations, thereby fostering a collaborative environment to promote the development of digital creativity in ICHCs. Digital governance capacity plays a crucial role in both leading and safeguarding the digital creative development of Intangible Cultural Crafts. It provides a conducive environment and establishes order for the digital innovation of ICHCs. Technical capabilities include the application of technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and big data. Additionally, these technologies are subject to ongoing research, development, and innovation. Technical capabilities play a supporting and driving role in the development of digital creativity in Traditional Crafts, providing technical support for the digitalization and innovation of ICHCs, improving the user experience, and enhancing the attractiveness and dissemination of heritage crafts.

Education and training and Community collaboration play a crucial role in the Development of Digital Creativity in HCHCs. Education and training not only help the inheritors and the new generation of craftspeople to master traditional skills, but also train them in digital skills so that they can utilize digital tools for creation, archiving and promotion. By setting up educational institutions in the form of training workshops and online courses in the community, across all age groups in society, it is possible to effectively disseminate ICHCs knowledge and skills, while stimulating the public’s sense of identity and participation in ICHCs culture. Community participation provides a source of feedback and creativity for ICHCs development that is closer to actual needs. By organizing activities such as seminars, exhibitions and markets within the community, craftspeople can communicate directly with consumers face-to-face to understand market demand, and then develop digital creative products that are more in line with market and consumer trends. Such face-to-face communication is of irreplaceable value in inspiring creative thinking and optimizing product design.

The construction of digital platforms refers to the provision of online and offline service platforms for the development of digital creativity in the field of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). These platforms can include ICHCs exhibition platforms, education and training platforms, exchange and cooperation platforms, and product sales platforms, among others. Through platform construction, it can integrate the resources of crafts, improve the effectiveness of their digital dissemination, and promote industrial upgrading and innovation. Platform construction plays a crucial role in facilitating the development of digital creativity in Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts. It provides the necessary infrastructure and public services for the digital innovation of ICHCs.

For example, the creation of the “TikTok” e-commerce platform for intangible handicrafts overcomes the limitations of intangible culture. It provides a platform for craftspeople to showcase their exceptional skills and allows buyers to delve into the cultural background and stories behind these handicrafts. Additionally, the platform utilizes artificial intelligence technology and big data analysis to personalize content for users (Fig. 3).

Creative diffusion type for digital creative development of ICHCs

There are three types of creative diffusion forms of ICHC’s resources under the influence of digital technology: primary type, secondary type, and fusion type. The core layer refers to the digital cultural and creative content that is created through the integration of digital technology and intangible cultural heritage (ICH) resources. In other words, digital technology serves as the foundation for the creative dissemination of ICH resources. For example, Tencent Games collaborated with the Palace Museum to develop the Forbidden City Pocket Artisan game, which enables the public to actively engage with ICH resources through interactive gameplay (Fig. 4). Native cultural creations can be fully digitized, virtualized, and networked, and do not necessarily rely on tangible intangible cultural heritage (ICH) resources (Li and Zhao, 2021). At the same time, the development of digitally native cultural creations can further promote the diffusion of ICHCs (Intangible Cultural Heritage Commodities) to other industries by integrating them with other forms of production. This integration has the effect of creating an “infrastructure” (Ding and Cai, 2021).

The middle layer is a secondary type of cultural creation formed through the application of digital technology to Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts, including digital cultural tourism, digital exhibitions, network exhibitions, broadcasting, and other forms. The primary type differs from the secondary type in that the secondary type is not able to exist independently from physical resources. The middle layer often represents a combination of reality and virtual reality, where technology allows for interaction and dialog between the real scene and the ICHCs (Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts) through innovative creative forms. In the China Grand Canal Museum, visitors can explore a unique blend of virtual and real scenes showcasing the art of canal shipbuilding. This immersive experience can be accessed through cell phones, virtual reality devices, and full projection technology, allowing visitors to delve into the rich heritage and cultural significance of ICH techniques (Fig. 5).

The outer circle represents the integration of digital Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts resources with other industries to create a unified cultural experience. This includes the application of product development, e-commerce live broadcasting, and industry-specific education and training. In the era of professional composite cultural production, the goal is to break the boundaries of traditional cultural circles and explore new channels for expanding the inheritance of ICHCs. For example, the integration of the internet celebrity economy, live streaming with product sales, craft training, and other diversified forms.

Application strategy for digital creative development of ICHCs

Creative diffusion shapes the implementation of a creative approach. The application of digital creative development of Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts mainly adopts three types of approaches: Focused Crafts Ontology approach, Focus on product-innovative approach, and Branded IP Benefits Approach.

Maintaining the authenticity of traditional crafts is the core and foundation of the Focused Crafts Ontology approach. In the process of digitally creating Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts, the focus is on excavating and researching the ICHCs themselves to understand their distinctive processes, technical characteristics, and cultural significance. This helps to better protect and preserve the heritage crafts, while also providing a valuable source of material and inspiration for digital cultural and creative products. By combining the ontology of Traditional Crafts with digital technology, it is possible to create digital cultural and creative products that possess unique cultural characteristics.

Cultural innovation is at the heart of a product-focused approach to innovation. In the development of digital cultural creation of ICHCs, it is necessary to focus on the innovative design of products, break the boundaries of traditional ICHCs, combine them with modern science and technology, design, art and other fields, and create new cultural products with market competitiveness. For example, applying embroidery or tie-dye technology to clothing, using rattan weaving technology to make suitcases and backpacks, etc. ICHCs as the theme elements of product innovation not only enriches the value of the product, but also inherits the craft skills. Second, the application of emerging technologies to improve traditional crafts into modern life, the main reason for the difficulty of traditional handicrafts inheritance is that handmade does not belong to the category of efficient production, and the inheritance and practice of skills need to be accumulated over a long period of time. For example, the use of digital virtual simulation technology by the Central South University for Nationalities to simulate and practice the Tujia pole and rail woodwork construction techniques can improve the learners’ mastery of the laws of non-heritage techniques (Fig. 6). Thirdly, modern digital equipment is used in the traditional skills process to improve the production efficiency, realize industrialization and upgrading, and develop products to meet the needs of modern life (Shi, 2016).

Popular demand guides the approach to brand intellectual property benefits. In the process of digital cultural and creative development of Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts, it is necessary to pay attention to the construction and operation of brand IP. This will increase the market value and cultural dissemination power of heritage crafts by building a brand with high visibility and influence. Combining ICHCs (Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts) with well-known intellectual property can further expand the market audience for digital creative products of traditional skills and promote the inheritance and development of ICHCs. In addition, the benefit of brand intellectual property (IP) can further expand the industry chain of digital cultural and creative products of Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts (ICHCs) through cross-border cooperation and authorized operations, thereby realizing their commercial value.

Feedback on the results of the development of digital creativity for ICHCs

The digital cultural and creative development of intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts can generate economic benefits, social benefits, and endogenous development benefits. The most significant contribution of ICHCs in the realm of digital cultural creation is their ability to generate economic benefits. By introducing non-heritage cultural and creative products into the market, the income of the inheritors is noticeably increased, thereby improving their material standard of living. Additionally, artisans actively participate in the market as a formidable competitive force in order to achieve higher economic returns. They consciously innovate their skills to gain a competitive edge and enhance market competitiveness (Liu, 2019). The path of cultural innovation of traditional skills will, in turn, lead to the prosperity of local cultural and creative industries and promote the development of the local economy. With the enhancement of economic benefits, it will inevitably improve the survival of the crafts. Furthermore, it will increase the level of consumer awareness of traditional handicrafts and culture, allowing them to share the fruits of ICH. In addition to economic and social benefits, the development of digital cultural creation of Intangible Cultural Heritage Crafts (ICHCs) plays an important role in the endogenous development of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). Reviewing the history of the development of traditional crafts, it is not difficult to find that these ICH projects are always centered around the productive activities between consumers and craftsmen, aiming to develop and continue the heritage. At the same time, the positive interaction between the two parties in productive activities constantly promotes the progress and growth of crafts (Shi and Zhou, 2019). Therefore, the development of digital creativity for ICH projects is in line with the laws of historical development. It promotes the improvement and innovation of skills, ensuring that the works fully align with the spirit of the times and the cultural consumption needs of the people. This, in turn, fosters a deep resonance between the ICH culture and the common values of the entire nation, as well as the spirit of the times.

Main situational factors for the development of digital creativity in ICHCs

The importance of community involvement as the main situational condition for the development of digital creativity in Chinese intangible cultural heritage crafts is not only reflected in the deep cultural value and significance of the ICHCs itself, but also in the challenges and opportunities it faces in the process of modernization. In elaborating this argument, we can analyze it from the dimensions of causes, behaviors and results of digital development.

First, the reasons for digital exploitation are closely related to community participation. ICHCs are formed and passed on in traditional communities, and their survival and development cannot be achieved without the practice and support of community members. With technological advancement and market transformation, digitalization provides new ways for ICHCs creative development. Community participation means that local knowledge can be integrated, the authenticity and continuity of handicrafts can be maintained, and digital creativity can be designed according to the essence of traditional skills in order to meet modern market demands without losing the essence of cultural traditions.

Furthermore, considering the behavioral aspect, the active participation of community members in every aspect of digital development activities – from conception, to design, to realization – is crucial. Collaborative exchanges between heirs, artists and contemporary designers can be seamlessly facilitated by digital technologies, including but not limited to the digitization of traditional motifs, the 3D modeling of traditional crafts, and the digital representation of craft stories and cultural contexts. Community involvement ensures continuous feedback and optimization of traditional skills during the digital transformation process, making the finished product more appealing to interest from outside the community, while also providing new economic development opportunities for internal community members.

Ultimately, from a results perspective, community participation not only makes the digital creative development of ICHCs more attractive and competitive in the marketplace, but also contributes to the enhancement of ICHC’s social influence and cultural identity. Through the promotion and dissemination of digital platforms, NRH products and educational content can reach a wider audience, injecting new vitality into ICHCs and realizing sustainable cultural development. At the same time, the active participation of community members can also promote the global sharing and dialog of local cultures, enhance cultural diversity and understanding, and thus realize the connection and inheritance of handicrafts across cultures and generations.