Encoding, Decoding and Cultural Identity: An Analysis of Culture Communication of Confucius Institutes

Abstract

The Confucian culture communication is a process of culture reproduction. The process is the re-encoding on Chinese Culture resources, aimed to strengthen the culture identity in different countries. Different cultural contexts affect culture decoding; culture identity is the result of interaction between cultural tradition and different social forces. This study, through analyzing a sample of Confucius Institutes in the United States, Japan, Russia, Thailand and Lebanon, finds the difference of cultural reproduction of Confucius Institutes in five countries above mentioned is very small, however, the difference of students' attitude and behavior to Chinese culture is obviously big. The Chinese Culture identity in different culture circles, especially in the Confucian culture circle and non-Confucian circle, differs greatly. It is easier for the students in the Confucian culture circle to understand and approve Chinese culture than the students in non-Confucian culture circle; it is easier for the students in non-Confucian culture circle to absorb Chinese material culture and Chinese behavior culture than Chinese spiritual culture. Index Terms - Cultural Identity, Culture communication, Confucius Institute, Encoding, Decoding