Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p> As forms of intangible cultural heritage undergo modernization, some retain their emotional density while others fossilize into formalized performance. Taking <italic>Epic of Darkness</italic> ritual performance as an in-depth case, this study develops a reflexive-transmission account of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) resilience, drawing on interaction ritual chain theory and Bauman’s performance theory. We examine this account through a mixed-methods study of <italic>Epic of Darkness</italic> performances across six communities in northwestern Hubei, China (2021–2025). A multimodal computational sentiment-analysis model (CMSA), validated against rating by three independent expert annotators (ICC = 0.906; Pearson r = 0.917), was applied to 529 ritual segments collected over four years. At the most economically transformed community in the sample, CMSA-based emotional energy (EE) values remained statistically stable across the observation period. Drawing on ethnographic observation and cross-site EE values, we argue that the resilience of <italic>Epic of Darkness</italic> is reinforced by stronger cultural enthusiasm and a broader base of local participants. This informal transmission extends beyond formal apprenticeship transmission in fostering a positive and self-reinforcing performance context. In turn, local participation and cultural identification contribute to the resilience and re-generation of cultural performance traditions. </p>