Representation of China's National Identity in Russian Travel Blogs

In the digital age, travel blogs serve as both a source of personal impressions and a powerful mediator of cultural images, shaping intercultural interaction and public discourse. Unlike traditional media, they combine personal narratives, visual aesthetics, and interactivity, shaping national perceptions. This study examines how China’s national identity is represented in Russian travel blogs and its impact on the Russian audience’s perception. The focus is on blogs covering China’s cultural, social, and historical aspects, analyzing visual and textual codes and discursive strategies used in representation. The study employs an interdisciplinary approach, integrating content analysis (identifying key themes), discourse analysis (examining rhetorical strategies), and semiotic and visual analysis. Blogs were selected based on popularity and audience engagement. The research is novel in exploring travel blogs as a key media resource shaping perceptions of China’s national identity, unlike previous studies focused on official media. By incorporating user comment analysis, it bridges a gap in intercultural communication studies, showing how digital media influence national images. Findings confirm that travel blogs present China through three key representations: cultural heritage, technological development, and exoticization. Blogs by Ptushkin and Pavlov highlight traditions and gastronomy, fostering deeper cultural understanding, while Varlamov’s content on digital surveillance elicits polarized reactions, from admiration for technological progress to criticism of state control. Analysis of user comments shows that travel content not only informs but also actively shapes public perception of China, influencing intercultural dialogue and discourse in Russian media.

National Identity, Cultural Exchange, Travel Blogs, Chinese Culture, Globalization Impact, Cultural Stereotypes, Intercultural Dialogue, Social Values, Media Representation, Cultural Communication