A study on the visual communication mechanism of Chinese literary works on short video platforms
Xiaolin Sun
Guangxi University
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/pmcs.v8i3.15451
Keywords: short-video platforms; literary works; visual re-narration; multimodal communication; BookTok
Abstract
On short-video platforms, literary characters, plots, images, and emotions are recast through footage, on-screen text, sound, and interactive prompts. Drawing on publicly available empirical studies of BookTok, digital reading, and short-video cultural communication in China published during the past five years, this article develops a five-stage framework: Literary semantic retention, visual re-narration, multimodal coordination, platform visibility, and audience participation. Rather than pooling incompatible datasets, it compares findings across studies. The evidence suggests that brief formats, music, and recognizable visual motifs help a video secure initial attention. References to a work's title, characters, relationships, key images, and context help viewers identify and interpret the source text, while creator credibility and community interaction are more closely associated with discussion, saving, sharing, and intention to read. Semantic retention and coherence across modes therefore matter if fleeting visual attention is to develop into sustained literary engagement. The framework separates reach metrics from indicators of substantive engagement and offers a basis for assessing the quality, rather than only the scale, of literary communication through short video.
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