Research Article
Ethnic Festival Ritual Performance and Border Tourism Destination Image Shaping: A Case Study of the Jingpo People's Mu Nao Zong Ge in Dehong, Yunnan
Renjuan Luo,
Ruoping Yang*,
Fen Lu
Issue:
Volume 15, Issue 5, October 2026
Pages:
257-264
Received:
31 July 2026
Accepted:
25 August 2026
Published:
4 September 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.ss.20261505.11
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Abstract: Ethnic festivals serve as core cultural tourism resources in border areas, and their ritual performances play a unique role in shaping tourism destination images. Taking the Mu Nao Zong Ge of the Jingpo people in Dehong, Yunnan as a case study, this paper constructs a three-dimensional analytical framework of "ritual performance—cultural experience—image perception" and employs participant observation to examine the mechanisms through which Mu Nao Zong Ge's ritual performance shapes the border tourism destination image. The findings reveal four key mechanisms: first, spatial liminalization constructs a ritual field where everyday space is transformed into a space where the sacred and the secular interweave, offering tourists a border spatial experience distinct from inland areas; second, symbolic performance of bodily practices, through dancers' movements and ethnic costumes, constitutes a visual symbol system that strengthens tourists' intuitive perception of Jingpo culture; third, narrative reconstruction of collective memory, through epic chanting and ritual procedures, activates the ethnic group's historical memory, creating a dual intensification of cultural identity and image identity; and fourth, digital dissemination through social media and short-video platforms breaks through geographic boundaries, enabling cross-regional diffusion of the border tourism destination image. These four mechanisms work synergistically to transform Mu Nao Zong Ge from a traditional ethnic ritual into an iconic cultural symbol of the Dehong border tourism destination. This study provides a new theoretical perspective for understanding the relationship between ethnic festivals and border tourism destination images, and offers practical insights for the integrated development of culture and tourism in border ethnic areas.
Abstract: Ethnic festivals serve as core cultural tourism resources in border areas, and their ritual performances play a unique role in shaping tourism destination images. Taking the Mu Nao Zong Ge of the Jingpo people in Dehong, Yunnan as a case study, this paper constructs a three-dimensional analytical framework of "ritual performance—cultural experience...
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