Paradigm Shift and Strategic Construction of Chinese Culture's International Communication in the New Media Era: A Dual-Case Study of Li Ziqi and TikTok

Abstract

The international communication of Chinese culture in the new media era faces the dual challenges of the cultural discount and narrative silence. Traditional communication models exhibit prominent issues such as the cognitive gap between official and public perceptions and misalignment in content supply. Employing a methodology of case study and theoretical integration, this paper focuses on two representative cases: Li Ziqi's "Oriental Pastoralism" visual utopia and the "fragmented" communication of TikTok short videos. It systematically investigates the paradigm shift and practical pathways for Chinese culture’s international communication in the new media context. The research finds that the core breakthrough of the new media communication paradigm lies in: Li Ziqi's approach of deep cultural embedding and TikTok's model of scaled dissemination, representing the diversified practical paths of "slow narrative, deep implantation" and "lightweight, viral diffusion" respectively. Meanwhile, current communication still faces challenges such as cultural decoding barriers, credibility dilemmas, and content homogenization. Based on these findings, this paper proposes communication strategies centered on "humanized narratives, localized platforms and collaborative actors" and points out new forms for the future of international communication of Chinese culture. It aims to provide theoretical reference and practical insights for constructing a future-oriented international communication system for Chinese culture.