Arts Studies and Criticism

This paper examines the inheritance and innovation of western Chinese folk songs in contemporary society, focusing on their roles in preserving cultural diversity, shaping ethnic identity, and boosting tourism. Through literature analysis and fieldwork, it reviews historical origins (e.g., northern Shaanxi, Xinjiang, Tibetan folk songs) and their unique musical-cultural connotations. It then identifies key challenges: aging inheritors, declining youth engagement, and commercialization-driven authenticity loss. Finally, it proposes strategies including school-based educational inheritance, new media dissemination, and cultural-tourism integration, emphasizing their potential in China's cultural "going global" strategy amid globalization.