When the Body Speaks: Multimodal Performance and Cultural Expression in Shaoyang Yao Nuo Opera
Abstract
This study investigates the multimodal meaning-making processes in Shaoyang Yao Nuo Opera and examines how these features shape its contemporary transmission and recontextualization. Although previous studies have focused on ceremonial functions, little attention has been paid to how bodily, vocal, spatial, and visual modalities collaboratively construct meaning within performances. Using a qualitative approach, this research applies multimodal discourse analysis to secondary sources, including historical texts, visual materials, and performance videos. It adopts a multimodal framework to analyze how symbolic resources such as gesture, sound, image, and spatial organization interact in ritual contexts. Findings reveal that core ritual elements—bodily choreography, bamboo constructions, rhythmic soundscapes, and color symbolism — have been preserved across generations while being adapted for secular festivals and tourism performances. These transformations highlight the flexible social functions of multimodal designs in maintaining cultural continuity. The study offers a methodological model for studying traditional practices when direct fieldwork is limited.
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