This work investigates how the traditional Naxi music of Lijiang, China, has been preserved, transformed, and commodified within the shifting political and economic landscape of the late 20th century. Helen Rees, an ethnomusicologist, utilizes extensive fieldwork and ethnographic observation to document the performance practices of Naxi musicians. She argues that the survival of this musical tradition is inextricably linked to local identity politics and the rise of tourism in the Yunnan province. The text provides a framework for understanding how intangible cultural heritage adapts to modern state-sponsored cultural policies.

Experts in ethnomusicology recognize this text as a foundational study on the intersection of music, tourism, and state-sanctioned cultural preservation in China. Readers frequently note the academic rigor and the value of the included multimedia components for understanding the auditory dimensions of the research.