Interpretation deviation of Chinese image in German documentaries: Analysis based on overseas audience comments on the documentary the new silk road
YuanYuan Jiang
School of Foreign Languages, Hangzhou Normal University
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/pmcs.v7i1.9533
Keywords: Documentary; Image of China; International Communication; He sculpted; Communication effect
Abstract
With the deepening of globalization, documentaries have become an irreplaceable medium for crosscultural communication, playing a crucial role in shaping national images and conveying cultural values. The German documentary The New Silk Road, presented from an “outsider’s” perspective, serves as a key window for the international community to understand China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its impact. This study focuses on YouTube comments on the documentary, analyzing changes in viewers’ cognition, emotions, and behaviors. Findings reveal that viewers focus not only on the DW channel and its content but also on interactions between countries and regions. Negative feedback reached 44.13% , highlighting misunderstandings or biased interpretations of China and the BRI, sparking defensive emotions. Some viewers expressed a desire to visit BRI sites to verify and reshape their perceptions. Although the documentary’s perspective may be biased, it reveals a global eagerness to explore the real China, urging authenticity, diversity, and comprehensiveness in international communication.
References
[1] Han Fei Shaping the National Image of Chinese Documentary Films from the Perspective of Communication and Interaction: World Orientation and Conceptual Shift [J]. China Television, 2023, (04): 36-44.
[2] Boulding K E .National Images and International Systems[J]. Journal of Conflict Resolution,1959,3(2), 120-131. https://doi.org/10.1177/002200275900300204
[3] Han Fei, Marquis New symbolic expression of Chinese documentary shaping national image [J]. China Television, 2023, (08): 37-44.
[4] Niu Guangxia, Su Yun Industrial Promotion, Theme Expansion, and International Communication: A Decade long Review of the Development of Chinese Documentary Films [J]. Contemporary Television, 2022, (10):23-28.DOI:10.16531/j.cnki.1000-8977.2022.10.002.
[5] Shi Leilei The Integration of “Subject” and “Other”: International Narrative Strategies for Humanistic Documentaries [J]. Future Communication, 2022, 29 (03): 91-97. DOI:10.13628/j.cnki.zjcmxb.2022.03.008.
[6] Zhang Zhi’an, Liao Xiang Four innovative strategies for international dissemination of Chinese documentaries [J]. TV Research, 2024, (04): 52-55.
[7] Ding Chenle, Lu Meiyan Other Perspectives and Empathy Communication: An Analysis of the International Communication Effect of the Documentary “China’s Poverty Alleviation Campaign” [J]. TV Research, 2024, (02): 87-90.
[8] Zhang Buzhong, Wang Pan New thinking and multiple breakthroughs in the Sino foreign co production documentary “Strolling through World Heritage Sites” [J]. TV Research, 2022, (05): 53-55.