Constructing cultural heritage narratives for global audiences: A multimodal critical discourse analysis of Xi'an museums on TikTok
Xuefeng Li
School of English Language & Culture, Xi'an Fanyi University
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/pmcs.v8i2.14531
Keywords: cultural heritage narratives; multimodal critical discourse analysis; Xi'an museums; short-video media
Abstract
With the rapid development of social media, museums are increasingly engaging in digital heritage communication beyond traditional exhibition spaces. This study examines how Xi'an museums communicate cultural heritage on TikTok through a Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA) approach. Based on museum short videos, it analyzes how visual, linguistic, and audio modes construct meanings of historical authenticity, urban identity, and cultural representation. Findings show that museums employ multimodal strategies combining iconic artifacts, evaluative language, and cinematic visuals to construct cultural continuity and position Xi'an as both a historical and contemporary cultural city. TikTok's platform affordances further shape this communication through short-form storytelling, algorithmic visibility, and multilingual presentation, expanding audience engagement and transnational reach.
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