Revitalizing Yi Clothing Culture: A Review of Participatory Design and Cultural Sustainability in Wuding County, China

Yi Shi; Phuvanart  Rattanarungsikul

doi:10.60027/iarj.2026.e292035

Authors

Yi Shi Silpakorn University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7180-5852
Phuvanart Rattanarungsikul Silpakorn University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1102-8611

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60027/iarj.2026.e292035

Keywords:

Yi Clothing Culture, Sustainable Heritage Theory, Participatory Design, Cultural Sustainability, Community Involvement

Abstract

Background and Aims: China, as a multi-ethnic nation, attaches great significance to preserving cultural traditions across its 56 ethnic groups. Yi clothing, a crucial cultural symbol of the Yi people, carries historical memory and cultural identity through its craftsmanship and symbolic patterns. However, modernization and commercialization have created a survival crisis for Yi clothing, particularly in Wuding County, where traditional practices face threats of extinction. The study aims to examine the challenges facing Yi clothing culture in Wuding County and to propose a participatory, community-driven approach that supports cultural sustainability. It seeks to explore how participatory design can empower local communities and create a balance between cultural heritage preservation and economic development.

Methodology: This research is framed within Sustainable Heritage Theory and employs a case study approach. It synthesizes existing literature on Yi clothing culture, symbolism, and historical evolution while analyzing how participatory design (PD) and community involvement can be integrated into cultural revival models.

Results: Findings highlight the contradictions in the industrialized production of Yi clothing, where commercialization detaches cultural symbols from their context and reduces craftsmanship to factory assembly lines. The review underscores the value of participatory design in reconnecting cultural practices with their communities. Comparative case studies from China and other countries demonstrate that community empowerment can effectively sustain cultural traditions while creating economic opportunities.

Conclusion: The study concludes that revitalizing Yi clothing culture requires a sustainable "economy–culture–subject" model that integrates cultural authenticity with economic development. Participatory design enables community ownership, strengthens cultural identity, and fosters intergenerational transmission of heritage. Although limited by its reliance on secondary literature, the research emphasizes the need for future fieldwork to directly engage with the Yi community for empirical validation.

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