The sound function and identity of zhuhu in Yangxin Tea Picking Opera within a changing cultural landscape

This study explores the transformation of the zhuhu, the leading bowed string instrument in Yangxin Tea-picking Opera, through the integrated lens of musical structure, performative function and cultural status. The aim is to understand how the zhuhu, once central to melodic leadership and emotional modulation, has shifted to a subordinate position under the forces of modernization, institutional reform and intangible cultural heritage (ICH) policy. The research adopts an ethnographic methodology that combines fieldwork conducted between 2023 and 2024 with performance observation, semi-structured interviews and score analysis. Findings show a marked decline in the zhuhu_s improvisational agency and its reduction to a standardised accompanist, reflecting broader shifts in performance ecology and policydriven aesthetics. At the same time, the zhuhu retains symbolic potency rooted in local expressive traditions and collective ensemble memory. The study concludes that the zhuhu is not a fading legacy but a dynamic cultural agent whose musical, performative and symbolic dimensions can be reconfigured within the contemporary ICH landscape. Theoretically, the study offers an integrated analytical model for minor accompaniment instruments in Chinese opera and provides empirical insights for revitalising regional performance systems.