An Overview of Semiotic Study of WeChat Emojis for Spreading Chinese New Year culture: A Conceptual Paper

ABSTRACT

In the digital landscape, WeChat emojis have become integral to contemporary communication, yet their semiotic significance in propagating cultural values, especially during cultural celebrations like Chinese New Year, remains underexplored. This research identifies the existing gaps in understanding the semiotic dimensions of WeChat emojis in the context of disseminating Chinese New Year culture. This paper aims to synthesize and critically examine existing literature on the semiotic study of WeChat emojis, specifically focusing on their role in spreading Chinese New Year culture. The objective is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge, identify common themes, and highlight areas for future research in this emerging field. This research approach is employed to analyze peer-reviewed articles, conference papers, and relevant literature on WeChat emojis and Chinese New Year culture. The synthesis includes an examination of methodologies used in previous studies, emphasizing the diverse approaches employed in understanding the semiotic aspects of digital communication within the cultural context. The review reveals a growing body of literature exploring WeChat emojis semiotic richness in the dissemination of Chinese New Year cultural elements. Themes such as symbolic representation, cultural identity, and cross-cultural communication emerge as recurrent topics. The synthesis underscores the need for a more unified theoretical framework and methodological consistency in future research. Synthesizing the current state of knowledge, this paper illuminates the semiotic underpinnings of WeChat emojis as conduits for Chinese New Year cultural transmission. The identified gaps and recurring themes provide a foundation for future research endeavors, emphasizing the potential of WeChat emojis in shaping and preserving cultural narratives in the digital era.

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