Translating Artisan Spirit on TikTok: A Cross-cultural Mixed-methods Study of Jingdezhen Ceramic Heritage

Abstract

Background: TikTok has transformed the circulation of craft heritage from institutionally mediated communication to short-form, creator-driven, and algorithmically distributed cultural representation. Digital visibility is a condition of heritage circulation, but cultural meaning is the outcome that requires explanation. Purpose: This study examines how craftsmanship-oriented TikTok videos translate Jingdezhen's artisan values into perceptions among international audiences, and develops a validated cross-cultural measure of that translation outcome. Methods: A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. Phase I used a cross-cultural randomised online experiment (N = 1,198) comparing four levels of craftsmanship representation (control, process-focused, artisan-story-focused, and integrated). In Phase II, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 participants selected through maximum variation sampling from the quantitative phase. Results: The integrated representation condition produced significantly higher Perceived Artisan Spirit (PAS) scores than all other conditions. Perceived authenticity and narrative engagement significantly mediated the relationship between craftsmanship representation and PAS. Cultural proximity, measured as a continuous construct rather than geographic region, moderated the direct effect of representation on PAS, while digital heritage literacy moderated the indirect effect through perceived authenticity. Scalar measurement invariance was established across cultural groups. Qualitative findings revealed five interpretive themes: sensory immersion, artisan identification, contextual reconstruction, cultural compression, and stereotypical readings. Conclusion: The study develops a Platform-Mediated Cultural Translation Model of Artisan Spirit, demonstrating that representation strategy matters more than exposure per se. The contribution of this study is not to challenge the importance of visibility, but to explain what happens after visibility occurs.