Abstract
<jats:p>The purpose of this study is to analyze the cultural functions of Chinese ethnic video blogs and to determine their role in the preservation and representation of intangible cultural heritage under digital transformation conditions. The research considers ethnic video blogging as aphenomenon of Chinese digital culture, where the processes of cultural representation and heritage preservation are closely intertwined with the formation of cultural identity.The scientific novelty lies in the comprehensive cultural analysis of ethnic video blogging as a new form of visual anthropology that integrates elements of folk culture, digital technologies, and media practices. For the first time, the article compares the genre and aesthetic features of Chinese ethnic vlogs with traditional categories of Chinese aesthetics - harmony,contemplativeness, and the Daoist principle of wuwei (无为, non-action). The author clarifies theconcept of digital heritage as applied to video content and reveals the mechanisms of cultural identity formation in digital media space.The results show that Chinese ethnic video blogs serve as tools for documenting and popularizing elements of intangible heritage, facilitating intergenerational transmission of cultural practices, and shaping a positive national image of China. Through the cases of Li Ziqi, Dianxi Xiaoge, and ‘Biaozi from the 1980s’ the study identifies a hybrid type of media narrative that combines documentary authenticity with artistic reconstruction. The author notes that the future development of ethnic video blogging is associated with the integration of VR, AR, and AI technologies, as well as with the expansion of international cooperation and academic involvement in the digital representation of cultural heritage.</jats:p>