Food as a medium: The framework and cross-culture implications of short videos of overseas Chinese sharing Chinese food in foreign countries

Abstract

Focusing on foreigners’ experience of Chinese food, a group of overseas Chinese released a series of short videos on social media about sharing Chinese food with their family and friends abroad. By analyzing the framework of such videos at high, medium and low levels, we find that the food narratives of overseas Chinese reflect both their main consciousness of spreading Chinese food culture and follow the basic logic of platform traffic. Therefore, elevating this cross-cultural practice to foreign communication requires them to shift from spontaneity to consciousness in cultural communication. On the other hand, we can also see the coexistence and intermingling of Chinese and foreign cultures, which reveals that we should turn to a communication view of civilizational diversity and inclusiveness, and transcend civilizational superiority with civilizational coexistence.