From digital content to cultural confidence: The performance of tradition on Chinese social media
Lu Zhang
Jingchu University of Technology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/pmcs.v7i2.10317
Keywords: Cultural confidence; Short-form video; Traditional Chinese culture
Abstract
Against the backdrop of «cultural confidence» becoming a central national agenda in China, traditional Chinese culture is experiencing a phenomenal resurgence on short-form video platforms, most notably Douyin. This trend raises a critical question: How do these social media platforms transform the abstract, macro-narrative of «cultural confidence» into a tangible, participatory, and emotional experience for young people? This paper argues that cultural confidence is not passively received but is actively constructed through a dynamic, threestage performance. This process unfolds through: 1) aestheticization, where tradition is packaged into appealing sensory spectacles; 2) domestication, which integrates these traditions into the familiar practices of modern daily life; and 3) communalization, where interactive rituals forge a shared collective identity. Through a textual analysis of representative short-form videos, this paper elucidates this complete pathway from digital content to cultural confidence, offering a new analytical framework for understanding the mechanisms of cultural identity formation in the digital age.
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