Ritual Symbolism and Communal Identity: The Construction of Folk Beliefs of Teochew Opera's Ban-sian-si in the Digital Media

This study investigates the symbolic and ritual dimensions of Ban-sian-si (扮仙戏 Ritual Deity Plays) in Teochew Opera (潮剧), with a specific focus on the Wufu Lian (五福连 Five Blessings Continuum) and its adaptation in the digital media, especially on Bilibili platform. Employing an integrated framework of semiotic theory, ritual communication, and mediatization theory, this article analyzes how Wufu Lian 五福连 embodies Teochew folk beliefs, reinforces collective identity, and is transformed through its dissemination on Bilibili platform. Methodologically, the research combines textual analysis of libretti, costumes, and props with quantitative and qualitative content analysis of 59 Bilibili videos, supplemented by LDA topic modeling of user comments. The findings reveal that Wufu Lian constitutes a complex ritual-semiotic system articulating core folk beliefs of Chaoshan, such as longevity, prosperity, and lineage continuity寿禄财团. Digital mediation on Bilibili facilitates transnational communal engagement and ritual participation, particularly among diaspora communities, while also introducing new tensions regarding authenticity, fragmentation, and content quality of videos. Criticisms around “blurry video quality” and “inferior adaptations” underscore the risks of decontextualized digital reproduction. The study concludes that successful digital propagation of intangible religious-cultural heritage requires not only technological innovation but also committed preservation of semantic and ritual integrity. It contributes to interdisciplinary discourses at the intersection of religious studies, digital media, and traditional performance culture, offering insights relevant to both scholars and practitioners of contemporary folk beliefs.