Exploring the Potential of Mobile Phone Applications in the Transmission of Intangible Cultural Heritage Among the Younger Generation

2.1 Digitalization of ICH in China

The term ICH refers to intangible traditional cultural expressions that are closely linked to people’s lives, emphasize human-centred aspects, and are characterized by living change and non-material attributes. Human transmission plays a crucial role in preserving ICH (Aljaberi and Al-Ogaili 2021). As an ancient civilization, China has a rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage. At present, the protection of ICH in China has entered a stage of comprehensive and focused preservation based on UNESCO’s basic theories. Research and practical activities are being actively carried out nationwide to deepen and broaden issues related to the rescue, protection, transmission, and development of ICH. This includes the development of local products or services centered on various types of ICH themes. As an integral part of human culture, ICH is universal and all-encompassing, encompassing various behaviors, value norms, and capabilities that need to be considered for sustainable development (Cui et al. 2019).

Against this background, many scholars have extensively studied the digital preservation and dissemination of ICH. For example, in Digital Development of ICH and Application of Key Technologies, Yao emphasizes that the digitization of intangible heritage promotes its preservation, exhibition, inheritance, dissemination, and innovation through the role of digital technology in collecting, storing, transmitting, processing, analyzing, and applying intangible heritage data. This fully demonstrates the importance and positive impact of digital technology in safeguarding ICH (Yao 2021). Digital tools play a crucial role in heritage conservation, allowing research teams to digitally record and archive ICH. The use of artificial intelligence, virtual reality technology, and blockchain technology has laid a strong foundation for the protection of ICH through the construction of digital legal documents and archives (Erturk 2020).

In addition, digital tools have provided new channels for ICH holders to showcase and disseminate their skills during the transfer and development of ICH. For example, through social media and short video platforms, they can showcase their skills to a wider audience and attract the attention and participation of young people (Pan 2022). In addition, some ICH holders have collaborated with technology companies to develop digital cultural products based on ICH (Ma and Guo 2023), such as mobile phone games and virtual reality experiences. These innovative approaches bring ICH into people’s lives in more interesting ways.

2.2 The Impact of Mobile Applications on the Digitization of Chinese ICH

The term “app” is short for application software but typically refers to mobile applications. With the increasing popularity of mobile devices such as phones and tablets, there is a growing demand for different types of apps. In the first half of 2020, Internet Weekly and eNet released an app classification ranking which categorized apps into different types such as social, news, shopping, entertainment, finance, life, tools and education (Hu 2019). In this context, apps are seen as potential new tools to protect ICH and connect tourists, communities, students, and other groups with cultural heritage (Li and Li 2021). The digitization of information has accelerated the development of new media platforms. Mobile applications hold great promise for cultural communication, as they can quickly disseminate information in a variety of forms on increasingly feature-rich mobile phones. Combining mobile phone apps with ICH and culture offers advantages in recording, displaying cultural innovation, and promoting ICH that traditional methods cannot achieve (Zhang and Peng 2020).

Mobile applications have significantly expanded the reach of ICH. Mobile applications have emerged as a powerful tool. Traditionally, the dissemination of ICH was often limited by geographical and temporal factors. However, with the help of mobile apps, people from all corners of the world can access and learn about various ICH items at any time. For instance, some apps provide detailed introductions to different ICH projects through high-quality images, videos, and texts, allowing users to appreciate their beauty and uniqueness.

Moreover, mobile applications play an important role in educating the public about ICH. They can present complex knowledge in an engaging and interactive way. Some apps offer quizzes, games, and virtual reality experiences related to ICH, making learning fun and accessible. This helps to raise awareness and interest among people, especially the younger generation. For example, the “Daily Forbidden City” app, which introduces users to the precious ICH artefacts in the Palace Museum through beautiful pictures and professional explanations, allows people to enjoy the depth of royal culture and the glamour of ICH artefacts anytime and anywhere. These apps enable users to appreciate their beauty and uniqueness, thus making a positive contribution to the dissemination and transmission of ICH (Jang and Lien 2014).

In addition, mobile applications facilitate the innovation and development of ICH. They can connect creators, artisans, and enthusiasts, providing a platform for collaboration and exchange. Through these apps, traditional ICH can be combined with modern design and technology, creating new products and experiences that appeal to contemporary audiences (Guo 2020).

3.1 Research on Heritage Education and Conservation Using Mobile Apps

At the same time, mobile apps offer new opportunities and avenues for heritage education and conservation.

From an educational perspective, the mobile app has significant advantages. On the one hand, it breaks the boundaries of time and space, allowing users to learn about cultural heritage anytime and anywhere. For example, the app of “Ceramics Museum of the Forbidden City” connects the collections with a “timeline” and users outside the exhibition hall can scan the code to get the detailed introduction of the collections, high-resolution images, and voice explanations, which provides a convenient learning channel for users (Xue et al. 2023). On the other hand, through diversified presentation methods such as pictures, videos, animations, etc., the app can present complex heritage knowledge in a vivid and intuitive form so as to enhance users’ interest in learning and understanding. For example, some apps that introduce traditional handicrafts will demonstrate the production process of the handicrafts through animation so that the abstract knowledge becomes concrete and tangible. They are able to present complex knowledge in an engaging and interactive way, which helps to raise awareness and interest, especially among the younger generation (Azman et al. 2021).

3.2 Current Situation and Problems of Intangible Cultural Education Today

Nowadays, the transmission of ICH faces various problems such as ageing, discontinuity, and cultural change, which hinder its preservation and transmission. In response to this trend, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education have launched a program called “Training and Research Programme for ICH Inheritors of China’s ICH” which connects universities with ICH heritage to intervene in its preservation (Zhang and Zou 2017). During this year’s sessions of the National People’s Congress, delegates frequently mentioned ICH in relation to keywords such as “youth” (Li et al. 2019). Younger generations are becoming ICH heirs, integrating intangible cultural products into contemporary life. They play an important role in promoting the integration of cultural tourism and rural revitalisation. However, few scholars have proposed innovative methods to popularize and transmit ICH among university students of this age group. Most studies focus on field research while neglecting the design of online new media mobile applications (Wang and Xu 2019). There is also a lack of systematic theoretical research on potential inheritors among university students, resulting in passive experiential understanding without sufficient expertise for ICH teaching.

3.3 The Need for ICH Education for the Younger Generation

According to data from the seventh National Census, residents aged 15–35 account for one-fifth of the country’s population (Lin and Li 2020). Young people are the hope and vitality of the nation; their success leads to national progress and strength (Qiao 2006). China has inscribed 34 items on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and another 1,530 items on the national list. Traditional arts such as music, calligraphy, paper cutting, and fan folding have gained popularity among young people nationwide through provincial and municipal initiatives (Tao and Cai 2021). For example, primary and secondary schools have creatively incorporated paper-cutting art in various forms to deepen students’ understanding by contextualizing it with pictures and words (Liu 2019). The use of multimedia in paper-cutting classes allows students to appreciate the charm of traditional Chinese culture while encouraging exploration and enhancing aesthetic and creative skills. Incorporating traditional paper-cutting into the classroom can also enhance students’ sense of national pride and self-confidence through cultural education (Chawla and Manhas 2015).

Therefore, educating young people is crucial to promoting ICH. Apps can serve as an effective platform to engage students by combining their interests and hobbies. These apps not only fulfil the young generation’s need for social interaction but also provide them with traditional cultural knowledge, thus meeting their learning and social needs at the same time. When designing these apps it is important to consider the care, usability, and cultural aspects that students want. With the rapid development of society and the increasing popularity of technology, app designs for young people should be adaptable and user-friendly to enhance their practical experience.

4.1 Chinese ICH – Folding Fan

The folding fan, as an ICH, is remarkably representative and typical. First, it exemplifies traditional craftsmanship with exquisite techniques in material selection, bone splitting, surface gluing, painting, calligraphy, etc., showing the wisdom and efforts of the craftsmen at each step. Various materials such as bamboo, wood, paper, and silk are ingeniously used by ancient craftsmen (Zhang et al. 2022). Second, folding fans have great cultural and artistic significance. The calligraphy and paintings on their surfaces serve as an important medium for writers and artists to express their emotions and showcase their skills. Many famous painters and calligraphers have left their precious ink treasures on these fans, which are not only of high artistic value but also reflect the social and cultural atmosphere of the time.

The folding fan is remarkably typical, serving as a bridge between traditional culture and modern life. In ancient times, it was an indispensable accessory for the literati, a symbol of status and taste. Today, in spite of the changing times, the fan still retains its unique charm. It can be collected as art or used in everyday life, allowing people to embrace tradition and show their individuality (Li et al. 2015). In addition, folding fans are often given as distinctive gifts or displayed at international cultural exchange events to promote Chinese culture. They attract attention and affection from foreign friends while serving as important messengers of Chinese heritage. The preservation and development of folding fans exemplify the importance of protecting intangible cultural heritage (ICH). Through the efforts and innovations of the heirs, the production process has been maintained while adapting to the demands of modern society – a successful model for the inheritance and development of ICH.

However, the folding fan, traditionally seen as a symbol of Chinese culture, is not widely recognized as such. Even the younger generation tends to associate the fan with traditional Japanese culture (Zhang et al. 2021). Currently, most articles focus on the history and craftsmanship of folding fan culture. For example, some articles on Suzhou folding fans emphasize their origin, development, and elaborate production process. In reality, many young people who appreciate folding fans are attracted to their aesthetics or fashion trends without fully understanding their deeper cultural significance and craftsmanship (Zhu 2020). To address this issue, the researchers chose the Folding Fan app – a popular ICH app on the market – as the medium for their study.

4.2 ICH App – Folding Fan App

With the advancement of digital media technology, traditional culture has been able to blossom in a wider range of dissemination paths, giving birth to numerous ICH apps based on the Internet and smart devices which actively pass on and promote outstanding ICH and have become an important way for people to understand and experience traditional culture (Zhang et al. 2023). The Folding Fan app has the most wonderful and special interactive experience on the craft module. While users are watching and learning the animation production, the app adds a lot of interactive design so that users have the feeling of hands-on experience in the process of personally operating the production of folding fan. This helps the user to understand the fan production process in detail. The game is mainly operated by sliding the screen and tapping which also includes light puzzle solving gameplay. The user is involved in 16 steps from choosing the bamboo to making the folding fan, and only when these processes are completed is a folding fan truly finished. As shown in Figure 1, in addition to experiencing the whole process of fan making, the design team also added a rewarding mechanism to allow users to experience the process of fan making by awarding them different titles according to their proficiency in the operation.

Figure 1:

Screenshot of Folding Fan app page.

The Folding Fan app is a great example of the perfect combination of traditional folding fan art and mobile internet technology. It attracts users through rich content and engaging visual effects, allowing them to understand the name and structure of each part of the folding fan as well as experience the richness of the folding fan craftsmen and the history of the folding fan. It provides a clear and intuitive experience of the birth of a folding fan.

Overall, the designers considered three main aspects. Firstly, the folding fan app has cultural heritage and popular science. Second, it emphasizes practicality and fun, allowing users to interact with the product and generate affective satisfaction from functional satisfaction. Third, after experiencing and using the product, it helps to trigger the reflection on the folding fan culture (Cheng 2016b).

4.3 Research Process

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a pre-selected ICH app (Folding Fan app) as a teaching tool for university students and to assess the developing role of the ICH app as a mobile teaching and learning educational activity in the university classroom. The study and evaluation of the teaching and learning process of ICH is a multifaceted process. The case study was chosen because it allows for an in-depth investigation of facts and behaviors in real world contexts, especially in systems with complex and dynamic relationships and interactions, such as university classrooms. Therefore, the research question is:

“How do ICH apps influence university students’ interest in the ICH of folding fan culture?”

In May 2023, a qualitative study was conducted at a Chinese public university with 12 university students (six males and six females) with the average age of 20 years and two teachers: one teacher (T1) and one trainee teacher (T2) of the class. T1 is the main teacher for the class and also had previous experience in intangible culture studies. Observations, group interviews and informal conversational interviews were used as high-quality data collection techniques (Morris and Paris 2022). The study is divided into three main parts, a questionnaire test and interviews. A total of 12 students were divided into group A and group B, with a questionnaire test used to explore the efficiency of the different learning methods of the two groups and the different attitudes from the students, followed by an interview with their focus group and finally an interview with T1. In addition, research has shown that interviewers need to be flexible in controlling the duration of the interview and the number of questions during the interview process in case studies. It is best to keep the time within 3 h; the optimal number of questions is two to eight (Su and Cui Miao 2011). Excessive interview time or too many questions can lead to disinterest on the part of the respondents, thus affecting the efficiency and quality of data collection. Therefore, the whole process of the study was set at 2 h, with 30 min for self-learning, 30 min for answering questions, 30 min for student interviews, and 30 min for teacher interviews. This was to avoid the negative emotional biases that a long period of time would bring to the students and teachers. The details are as follows:

1. Class group interviews were conducted prior to the educational intervention to identify the current knowledge of the university students about folding fans and things related to ICH.

2. The two groups of students took different methods (one through APP learning and the other through traditional paper-based book learning) of self-study on the origins, development, production techniques, and appreciation of works of folding fans for a period of 30 min, as shown in Figure 2.

3. After studying separately, the T2 invited each group to participate in completing the “Folding Fan Basics Test” accompanying the test, which was derived from their study (see Appendix B) and lasted 20 min.

4. Focus group interviews were conducted after the test with university students using traditional paper-based learning and those using the Folding Fan app as an accompanying test to observe which group was more effective and to discuss the use with each university student in order to record the results of the individual-level instructional intervention in more detail.

5. The T1 and a trainee T2 were interviewed to triangulate the findings of the study.

6. T1, who was also the coordinator of this educational intervention, had previously been trained in the ICH curriculum and was therefore invited to participate in the interview.

5.1 Basic Level of Awareness of ICH Among University Students

The results of the class interview conducted with 12 university students prior to the educational intervention showed that eight of the students answered “Yes or have heard of it” to the question “Do you know the meaning of ICH?” In the question “Do you know that folding fans are ICH?”, 10 answered yes, but when it came to specific issues of ICH, the degree of knowledge of students was comparatively lesser. Nine of the students were not sure. In the question “Do you know in which era the folding fan originated,” only one student answered that he/she did. Two students commented: “Folding fan culture originated in Japan. These figures show that the depth of communication of ICH needs to be improved in order to draw more attention to it.” In the question “What do you think are the main reasons for the impact and dissipation of ICH?”, eight students thought that ICH was not given enough attention, while four students agreed that it was the inevitable result of modern development. Among the questions on the greatest difficulties encountered in passing on ICH, the top answers were “the impact and challenge of foreign culture and modern civilization” (five students), “young people” (four students), and “the weak awareness of the government and society to protect ICH” (two students). Thus, university students have their own understanding and ideas on the protection of ICH and have their own clear attitudes. See Figures 2 and 3 for the discussion process.

Figure 2:

The two groups of students learn in different ways.

Figure 3:

The researcher in discussion with interviewees.

5.2 Test Results

In order to verify the importance and validate the effect of the ICH app for gaining knowledge of ICH, this experiment was adopted, with the method of learning about the origin, development, production process, and appreciation of works of folding fans by students and teachers as the independent variable, the one using the ICH app method as the experimental group, and the other group for traditional paper learning as the control group with the assurance of the students’ own learning ability. Under the premise of ensuring that the students’ own learning ability was at a comparable level, the students were reasonably observed.

The experiment ensured that the students’ own level of learning ability was comparable, and the researcher and the T1 jointly imposed reasonable observations on the students to observe the final absorption of the content of the intangible cultural and cultural knowledge and their performance during the test. The main observation was their final learning and absorption of the ICH knowledge content. In addition, after the 12 university students who were the users of the app had learnt individually, the researcher invited each of them to participate in completing the “Folding Fan Basic Knowledge Test,” which was derived from their learning content and lasted for 20 min.

The test was scored on the basis of one point for one correct answer, with some questions having multiple options. The scoring questions were evaluated based on the test subject’s responses, and the final test result was determined by each student’s overall score, with higher scores indicating a greater degree of accuracy. The aim is to test which learning method is more effective in a short period of time and to understand their experience of using the Folding Fan app. The test questions are an important means of capturing the user’s learning efficiency and interaction experience. The test questions were taken from their learning content. The results of the test were analyzed to determine how well the respondents learned and how much they liked folding fans. Test results are shown in Appendix B.

The conclusion is that the final score of Group B students who used the ICH app was higher, indicating that the final content summary statement was more complete, contained more detail, and had a higher percentage of correct answers to the questions. Therefore, in general, the use of the ICH app provides a more effective and reasonable aid to learn about ICH and can improve the efficiency of learning and the digestion of knowledge to a certain extent.

Furthermore, in the post-test interviews, six students mentioned that they liked and were satisfied with the app. In this regard, A discussed the role of apps in disseminating ICH. He believes that apps are a good learning tool because they are vivid and more interesting than traditional paper books. It allows the younger generation to understand a culture they have never been exposed to effortlessly. A said “the apps can make the dissemination of ICH easy and fast, in such a way that young people like it.” On the other hand, C believes that fun interactions can stimulate their visual impressions and use their senses to stimulate memory. C stated that “the interaction design was very nice.” In this essence, the interviewees not only shared their knowledge about the place under study but also expressed their feelings and opinions about the use of ICH apps currently available in the market. The indicators identified in this section were eventually categorized into four categories: cultural connotation; interface design; interaction design; and download channel. In terms of cultural connotation, customs, traditional festivals, and traditional crafts concerned the interviewees the most and had been mentioned by four visitors. D claimed that “the customs of ethnic minorities are always desirable.” I and K expressed that they, “like to look inside the app for introductions to traditional festivals.” E stated that “An introduction to traditional craftsmanship must not be missing, and is best conveyed through storytelling.” In terms of interface design, design style, color, and operation interface were the most important concerns of the respondents and were mentioned by five visitors. According to B and F “Color is an important determinant of design style and users can broadly judge the category of the app in terms of color.” H stated that “the current design style of culture apps is too cluttered, I think an app with a clear design style will definitely be more popular with users”; D and E claimed “the convenience of the navigation design will be conducive for users to use it again.”

5.3 Teachers’ Perceptions of the Folding Fan App

At the end of the pedagogical intervention experiment, teachers T1 and T2 were asked about their opinions on the cultural effects of the Folding Fan app for learning about ICH. Firstly, both teachers gave positive answers that it was interesting and the students enjoyed it: “I think they have understood it well in such a short period of time, at least they were able to observe the process of making the folding fan carefully, which is something that textual information cannot do” (T1); “I believe they broadly understood the whole process” (T2).

When asked how the ICH app affects the younger generation’s interest in the ICH, folding fan, T1 replied,

I think the most important thing is its convenience, students can choose their favourite culture independently without the limitation of space and time, for example, during the epidemic. The app lesson is a good choice, if the app is used as a new means of learning, all those old and unfamiliar cultures can be shown to the young generation with a new look.

T2’s reply was, “I think it should be fun, it combines knowledge and game interaction, which is an interesting and challenging thing for the young generation who like to accept new things.”

Finally, T1 and T2 described the students’ reactions to participating in the process as “very good,” “very positive” (T2), and “very satisfied” (T1): “It was very rewarding, it broke the mould of conventional learning and made difficult knowledge interesting” (T2). T1 said, “The results were well worth it.”

When asked if the students were impressed by the ICH of folding fans, both teachers replied that the students were very excited about the culture of folding fans and were impressed by the experiment.