How China’s Spring Festival Gala Turns Cultural Recognition into National Belonging

How China’s Spring Festival Gala Turns Cultural Recognition into National Belonging | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article How China’s Spring Festival Gala Turns Cultural Recognition into National Belonging Shuting Wu, Muchammad Bayu Tejo Sampurno, Poh Gee Leng This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8872367/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract China’s CCTV Spring Festival Gala (Chunwan) operates as an annual media ritual that fosters national belonging through affective mediation. Integrating hermeneutic interpretation, media ritual theory, orientalist critique, and Chinese relational philosophy, this study examines how cultural identity is activated and consolidated into national attachment. Using qualitative analysis of broadcast performances, symbolic staging features, narrative structures, celebrity presence, curated cultural diversity, interviews with 20 viewers, and post-broadcast platform circulation, the study identifies a sequential mediation process. Recognition-based cultural cues generate pre-reflective affect and familiarity. Technological spectacle intensifies emotional engagement, while narrative sketches sustain ethical continuity through relational themes. Celebrity visibility strengthens attachment, and curated diversity aestheticizes plurality into symbolic harmony, revealing internal orientalism. Patriotic finales resonate after cumulative affect across the program, while digital circulation extends ritual participation. The findings propose a mediation model positioning cultural identity as the key link between audiovisual representation and lived national belonging. Humanities/Cultural and media studies Social science/Cultural and media studies Humanities/Theatre and performance studies Chunwan media ritual affective mediation national belonging internal orientalism Introduction The question of identity has occupied philosophical inquiry across civilizations, historical periods, and epistemological traditions (Edensor 2020 ). From classical metaphysics to contemporary cultural theory, identity has never appeared as a static or self-contained phenomenon (Hall 2021 ). Instead, it emerges as a dynamic field of relations involving memory, representation, power, and imagination. In modern societies saturated with media images, identity increasingly takes form through symbolic mediation (Boylorn and Orbe 2016 ). Television, digital platforms, and large-scale broadcast rituals actively shape how individuals perceive belonging, difference, continuity, and collective destiny. Cultural identity and national identity stand at the center of this mediated terrain. Cultural identity concerns how individuals recognize themselves within shared traditions, symbols, and affective worlds, while national identity refers to a broader political and imagined affiliation that binds diverse populations into a perceived unity (Mulcahy 2017 ). Besides, media operate as crucial intermediaries, translating cultural signs into national narratives and shaping how subjects understand themselves as members of a cultural lineage and a national collective (Couldry 2020 ). Philosophical reflections on identity from both Western and Eastern traditions illuminate this process (Macdonald 2020 ). In Western thought, identity has often been framed in terms of dialectical relations between self and other, presence and representation (Emelyanova et al. 2025 ). Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel conceptualized identity as recognition achieved through intersubjective struggle, in which selfhood arises through acknowledgement within a social order (Wright 1983 ). Later, Anderson ( 2006 ) reframed national identity as an “imagined community,” sustained through shared media practices than face-to-face interaction. Besides, Edward Said ( 1978 ) extended this line of inquiry by revealing how representation constructs cultural knowledge, emphasizing that identity formation unfolds within asymmetrical systems of power and discourse. Orientalist philosophy contributes a critical lens through which identity can be examined as a product of symbolic construction. Orientalism, as articulated by Said ( 1978 ), exposes how cultural identities emerge through narrative framing, aesthetic repetition, and selective memory. While Said focused on Western representations of the East, his conceptual apparatus proves equally valuable for examining how societies represent themselves. Internal orientalism, a concept developed in later scholarship, describes how nations aestheticize their own traditions, selectively narrating history in ways that stabilize identity and authority (Allès 2014 ). Media rituals operate as privileged sites where such internal representations crystallize. Within Chinese philosophical traditions, identity has long been understood relationally (S. Rošker 2021 ). Confucian thought situates the self within networks of family, ritual, and moral obligation (Zhang 2015 ). Identity develops through 礼/禮 (lǐ) , or ritual practice, which organizes social harmony and ethical continuity (Lai 2017 ; Wang et al. 2020 ). Daoist philosophy, in contrast, emphasizes fluidity, transformation, and harmony with cosmic rhythms (Wang et al. 2020 ). Both traditions reject rigid notions of selfhood, offering frameworks where identity evolves through participation in collective practices and symbolic orders. Contemporary media rituals resonate strongly with such philosophical foundations, translating ancient relational ethics into modern audiovisual forms. Televised national spectacles function as contemporary rituals that rearticulate philosophical notions of selfhood, community, and continuity. Such events create shared temporal experiences that synchronize individual attention across vast populations. Media theorists have described this phenomenon as ritual communication (Hepp 2013 ; Hepp et al. 2015 ), in which the primary function is to reaffirm collective meaning. Through repetition, spectacle, and emotional resonance, televised rituals cultivate affective bonds that stabilize cultural memory and national sentiment. China’s CCTV Spring Festival Gala, commonly known as 春节联欢晚会 (Chunwan), exemplifies this process with exceptional scale and symbolic density (Cui 2009 ). Broadcast annually on Lunar New Year’s Eve, Chunwan reaches hundreds of millions of viewers across domestic and diasporic contexts. The program occupies a unique temporal position, coinciding with familial reunion, ritual renewal, and symbolic transition (Dezheng 2016 ). Within this liminal moment, Chunwan operates as a national mirror, reflecting curated images of tradition, progress, harmony, and belonging. The philosophical significance of Chunwan extends beyond entertainment value (Xu et al. 2018 ). As a media event, it performs ideological work through aesthetic means. Visual spectacle, musical performance, narrative sketches, and technological innovation converge to produce an experiential field where cultural recognition and emotional attachment intertwine. Viewers encounter familiar symbols, dialects, melodies, and moral narratives within a unified broadcast frame that transforms diversity into coherence (Shafira and Rui 2023 ). This process echoes Anderson’s insight that national identity emerges through shared media consumption (Anderson 2006 ), yet Chunwan intensifies this dynamic through ritual timing and affective saturation. Cultural identity within such a context unfolds through two interrelated dimensions: cognitive recognition and emotional attachment. Cognitive recognition involves understanding symbols, narratives, and historical references embedded within performances (Geertz and Marić 1972 ). Emotional attachment arises through affective responses such as pride, nostalgia, warmth, and collective joy. Philosophical hermeneutics suggests that understanding always involves affect, as interpretation remains inseparable from embodied experience (Petrovici 2013 ). Hans-Georg Gadamer emphasized that meaning arises through participation within tradition (Gadamer 2019 ). Chunwan invites precisely such participation, drawing viewers into a shared interpretive horizon. National identity develops as cultural recognition expands into political belonging (Edensor 2020 ). When individuals perceive their cultural experiences as part of a larger national story, personal identity aligns with collective imagination. Media facilitates this alignment through symbolic integration (Moreno-Barreneche 2022 ; Wei 2024 ), through songs celebrating national history, performances representing ethnic diversity, and narratives emphasizing unity generate a sense of shared destiny. Such representations transform cultural memory into national affect, producing pride and belonging through aesthetic encounter. Orientalist theory enriches this analysis by foregrounding representation as an act of selection and framing (Said 1978 ). Chunwan does not present culture in its raw, plural form, but instead, it curates tradition, selecting elements that align with narratives of harmony, continuity, and progress. Folk dances appear alongside high-definition visuals and digital effects, positioning heritage within modern technological aesthetics (Zhou 2024 ). This juxtaposition constructs an image of cultural timelessness in sync with national modernization. Such representation performs an internal orientalizing function, aestheticizing tradition while integrating it into a state-sanctioned narrative. Technological spectacle plays a decisive role in this process. Advanced stage design, augmented reality, and immersive visuals generate sensory intensity, amplifying emotional engagement. Philosophers of technology have long argued that tools shape perception and meaning. Marshall McLuhan’s ( 2014 ) assertion that media forms reshape human consciousness finds renewed relevance within such spectacles. Technology transforms how tradition is perceived, remembered, and felt. Within Chunwan, technology mediates the relationship between past and present, producing an image of continuity through innovation (Jing 2014 ). Celebrity presence introduces another philosophical dimension. Familiar figures function as affective anchors, embodying cultural ideals and social aspirations (Wangmo 2025 ). Viewers recognize faces associated with success, virtue, or artistic excellence, projecting personal identification onto national narratives (Xu et al. 2021 ). However, celebrity symbolism emphasizes emotion over cognition. Recognition of a performer does not necessarily deepen understanding of cultural history, though it strengthens emotional resonance (Xu et al. 2021 ). This asymmetry reveals how affect often precedes reflection within mediated identity formation. Narrative elements further contribute to identity construction by dramatizing moral values. Short sketches and musical stories depict familial bonds, generational continuity, and social responsibility. Such narratives resonate with Confucian ethical frameworks, emphasizing harmony, respect, and collective duty (Kim 2023 ). As Hermann ( 2016 ) said about philosophical anthropology recognizes storytelling as a fundamental mode through which societies transmit values, Chunwan mobilizes narrative to reaffirm ethical continuity, aligning individual emotions with collective norms. International segments introduce a global dimension to national identity. Performances involving foreign artists or cross-cultural fusion projects present an image of openness and cosmopolitan engagement (Benet-Martínez et al. 2002 ). Through such segments, national identity positions itself within global cultural flows, asserting confidence and cultural sovereignty (Lin 2023 ). This constructs a vision of national selfhood capable of engaging in dialogue without dissolving, and relate into the mediating role of cultural identity within this process reveals a layered structure of influence. Media features give culture recognition and affect serve as intermediaries (Xu 2017 ). Phenomenological philosophy supports this sequence, emphasizing that political identity arises from lived cultural experience. Maurice Merleau-Ponty ( 2004 ) argued that meaning emerges through embodied perception, suggesting that national identity gains force when rooted in sensory and emotional engagement. Chunwan exemplifies this mediation through ritual repetition within annual recurrence reinforces familiarity, transforming media consumption into tradition. Repetition stabilizes meaning through ritualized expectation (Wang-Kaeding 2025 ). Each broadcast renews cultural memory while adjusting representation to contemporary contexts. This dialectic between continuity and change sustains identity across generations. Understanding such processes holds significance beyond the Chinese context. In an era characterized by fragmented media consumption and algorithmic personalization, large-scale shared rituals grow increasingly rare. Chunwan demonstrates how centralized media can still produce collective imagination at a national scale. Philosophical inquiry into such phenomena illuminates broader questions concerning identity formation, power, and representation within mediated societies. This study approaches Chunwan as a philosophical case of mediated identity construction from the perspectives of orientalist theory, media philosophy, and cultural hermeneutics. Cultural identity and national identity appear as interconnected yet distinct dimensions, linked through symbolic mediation. Media rituals emerge as contemporary sites where philosophical questions concerning selfhood, belonging, and representation materialize through aesthetic practice. Through examining how Chunwan mobilizes cultural cognition and emotion to cultivate national belonging, deeper insight emerges into the subtle mechanisms through which media participates in shaping collective self-understanding. Such analysis contributes to ongoing debates concerning cultural sovereignty, media power, and the philosophical foundations of identity in a globalized yet fragmented world. Materials and Methods This study adopts a qualitative philosophical research orientation grounded in interpretive and hermeneutic epistemology (Richardson 2015; Jonas et al. 2017; Smith 2023). Identity, culture, and national belonging are approached as meaning-laden and relational phenomena that emerge through symbolic mediation. Knowledge within this framework is produced through interpretation of cultural texts, experiential accounts, and mediated practices, recognizing that identity is constituted through participation, recognition, and affect. This epistemological position aligns with hermeneutic philosophy (Richardson 2015), which treats meaning as historically situated and relational (Baronov 2021). Media rituals, performances, and audience experiences are understood as layered symbolic formations whose significance unfolds through interpretive engagement (Trent and Cho 2020). Then, the study examines how cultural familiarity, emotional resonance, and representational coherence operate together to shape collective imagination. This approach is particularly suited to contemporary conditions in which identity increasingly forms through mediated images, shared spectacles, and ritualized repetition. The research follows a qualitative case-based design centered on a single, large-scale televised national ritual: the CCTV Spring Festival Gala (Chunwan,春节联欢晚会 in Chinese). The case is treated as a concentrated symbolic environment where cultural memory, aesthetic strategy, and national imagination converge. Its annual recurrence, mass audience reach, and ritual timing render it an analytically rich site for examining mediated identity formation. Analytical logic proceeds through interpretive layering, that media representation is analytically positioned as a mediating layer that translates representational forms into affective experience, which then expands into national belonging (Esin et al. 2014; Kakkori 2020). This logic reflects philosophical approaches that emphasize mediation, participation, and affect over transmission and persuasion. Case Selection and Contextual Relevance Chunwan was selected due to its unparalleled scale, ritual timing, and symbolic density within the Chinese media landscape. Broadcast annually on Lunar New Year’s Eve, the program coincides with familial reunion, temporal transition, and cultural renewal. This liminal positioning intensifies emotional receptivity and symbolic recognition, allowing identity to be experienced collectively. The case is also contextually relevant due to its ongoing transformation through technological innovation and platform convergence. Chunwan integrates traditional cultural forms with advanced visual systems and digital circulation, reflecting contemporary negotiations between heritage and modernity, and make it particularly suitable for philosophical inquiry into mediated identity in technologically saturated societies. Data Sources and Corpus Construction The study draws upon a multi-layered qualitative corpus consisting of broadcast texts, audience accounts, and circulation traces. Primary data include full recorded Chunwan broadcasts and their constituent performance segments, encompassing music, dance, opera, comedic sketches, narrative dramas, and ceremonial finales. These materials are treated as cultural artifacts, while visual composition, sound design, choreography, narrative pacing, and staging technologies are analyzed as symbolic forms that shape perception and affect. Table 1. Dataset Description, Collection Context, and Analytical Procedure Source: Researcher, 2025 Dataset Data Type Quantity / Scope Time of Collection Location / Context Rationale for Inclusion Coding & Analytical Procedure D1. Chunwan Broadcast Corpus Audiovisual media texts Full broadcasts from multiple recent editions (entire programs) During annual Spring Festival Gala broadcasts (recent years) National television broadcast and official digital platforms To examine Chunwan as a ritualized national media event and primary symbolic environment Hermeneutic close reading; segmentation into performance units; temporal sequencing analysis D2. Performance Segment Dataset Discrete performance units All major segments per broadcast (music, dance, opera, comedy, drama, finales) Concurrent with D1 Within each broadcast program To identify symbolic structures and cultural cues within the ritual Segment-level coding based on symbolic form, narrative type, and performative function D3. Cultural Cue Coding Dataset Coded symbolic elements Recurrent cues across all segments Post-broadcast analysis Analytical corpus derived from D2 To examine recognition-based cultural activation Deductive–inductive coding of cues (music, gesture, colour, narrative focus); frequency classification (very high–very low) D4. Technological Staging Dataset Visual–technical features All segments using advanced staging (lighting, AR, immersive visuals) Concurrent with D2 Broadcast stage environment To analyse affective intensification through media technology Thematic coding of technological mediation and affective amplification D5. Narrative Theme Dataset Narrative content All narrative-based sketches and short dramas Concurrent with D2 Broadcast narrative segments To analyse ethical continuity and relational familiarity Thematic narrative coding (family, reconciliation, responsibility, moral repair) D6. Celebrity Presence Dataset Performer-based segments All segments featuring nationally recognised performers Concurrent with D2 Broadcast performance context To assess affective attachment through symbolic recognition Coding of performer recognition and affective anchoring D7. Representational Diversity Dataset Cultural representation units All ethnic and regional performances Concurrent with D2 Broadcast cultural showcases To examine internal orientalism and curated plurality Interpretive analysis of aesthetic framing, harmony, and abstraction of difference D8. Qualitative Interview Dataset Semi-structured interviews 20 participants (V01-V20) Post-broadcast period Urban viewers with regular exposure to Chunwan To capture lived experience of recognition, affect, and belonging Interpretive thematic analysis focused on pre-reflective affect and recognition D9. Interview Excerpt Corpus Verbatim quotations Multiple excerpts per participant Interview transcripts To empirically ground experiential claims Excerpt selection based on thematic saturation and analytical relevance D10. Audience Synchronization Indicators Aggregated audience metrics Broadcast-scale indicators (viewing, circulation, interaction) Broadcast night and immediate post-broadcast window Television and digital platforms To establish ritual scale and shared temporality Descriptive aggregation and interpretive contextualisation (non-statistical) D11. Platform Circulation Dataset Circulated media traces Clips, comments, reposts, interactions Post-broadcast Social and digital platforms To analyse ritual extension and collective visibility Interpretive reading of repetition, visibility, and participatory enactment To ground interpretive claims in lived experience, the study incorporates semi-structured qualitative interviews with 20 viewers. Participants were selected to reflect variation in age, gender, and media habits, while sharing familiarity with Chunwan as an annual ritual. Interviews focused on experiential responses, eliciting descriptions of recognition, emotion, familiarity, and feelings of belonging. Supplementary data include aggregated platform circulation indicators and sampled public discourse generated during and immediately after the broadcast. These materials provide evidence of ritual extension, participatory repetition, and collective visibility, allowing analysis of how identity is publicly enacted beyond the broadcast itself. Interview Procedure and Analytical Use Interviews were conducted using open-ended prompts designed to elicit experiential narratives (Seidman 2006). Questions focused on how participants perceived performances, what they felt during viewing, and when feelings of unity or pride emerged. Interviews were anonymized and coded using interpretive thematic analysis. Interview data were treated as phenomenological accounts that reveal how mediated symbols are recognized and emotionally internalized. Quotations are used analytically to illustrate recurrent experiential patterns. Analytical Method and Interpretive Procedure Analysis follows a hermeneutic cycle moving between empirical material and theoretical reflection (Richardson 2015; Kakkori 2020). Initial readings identified recurring symbolic motifs related to tradition, family, harmony, technological spectacle, and national imagery. Subsequent interpretation situated these motifs within philosophical frameworks derived from orientalist theory, media ritual theory, and Chinese relational ontology. Orientalist theory guided analysis of aesthetic framing and cultural selection, particularly the operation of internal orientalism through curated representations of diversity (Said 1978). Media ritual theory informed examination of synchronization, repetition, and affective alignment (Edensor 2020). Confucian and Daoist philosophies deepened interpretation of relational ethics, moral familiarity, and transformation through continuity (Zhang 2015; Kim 2023). Sensory and emotional dimensions of media experience were treated as primary data. Visual spectacle, musical rhythm, and narrative familiarity were analyzed as mechanisms that sustain cultural familiarity and enable national sentiment to emerge experientially. The study maintains reflexive awareness of its interpretive positioning. Philosophical inquiry acknowledges that interpretation unfolds within specific theoretical and cultural horizons. Engagement with orientalist critique ensures sensitivity toward power and representation, while attention to indigenous philosophical traditions prevents external imposition of meaning. Reflexivity supports balanced analysis that recognizes both integrative and selective aspects of media representation. Identity is understood as negotiated participation within symbolic systems, imposed ideology or autonomous choice. This research also have ethical considerations concern interpretive responsibility. Interview data were anonymized and used to illuminate experiential patterns (Karim and Hue 2022). Media texts were engaged critically and respectfully as carriers of collective memory and cultural value. Therefore, the integration of broadcast analysis, audience interviews, and circulation indicators within a hermeneutic framework, demonstrates engagement of philosophical inquiry can affect contemporary media phenomena with empirical rigor. The approach advances understanding of identity as mediated, affective, and relational, providing a robust foundation for analyzing televised national rituals as sites of collective imagination. AI-Assisted Translation and Language Editing To ensure clarity and consistency in presenting Chinese-language interview excerpts and selected broadcast terms, AI-based translation tools were used to produce initial translations from Chinese to English. All AI-assisted translations were then reviewed and refined by the researcher through comparison with the original Chinese text to preserve meaning, tone, and culturally specific expressions, especially where idioms, affective nuance, or ritual vocabulary carried interpretive weight. In addition, Grammarly was used at the final drafting stage to support English grammar, spelling, and readability. These tools were applied solely for language support and editing. They were not used to generate data, to perform coding, or to determine analytical interpretations, which remained grounded in the hermeneutic procedure and the study corpus. Results This section presents the results of the study by integrating empirical material, interpretive analysis, and conceptual discussion into a unified account of how Chunwan mediates national belonging through cultural identity. In line with the qualitative hermeneutic design, data are treated as situated expressions of meaning, affect, and recognition (Jonas et al. 2017; Kakkori 2020). Three principal data sources inform the results: (1) close analysis of multiple Chunwan broadcast segments across recent editions, (2) semi-structured qualitative interviews with viewers, and (3) aggregated audience and platform response indicators. Together, these data illuminate how cultural recognition precedes and enables national identification. Ritual Scale and Synchronized Attention as Empirical Foundation At the structural level, Chunwan operates under conditions of exceptional synchronization. Audience data indicate that the live broadcast attracts several hundred million simultaneous viewers, with cumulative viewing instances exceeding one billion across television and digital platforms. Table 1 summarizes the scale and circulation pattern observed during the analyzed broadcast year. Table 1. Summary of Chunwan Audience Synchronization Source: Author’s qualitative coding of Chunwan broadcast performance segments (Datasets D1-D3) Indicator Observed Range Live television viewers ~650–700 million Total viewing instances (TV + digital) >1 billion Mobile live viewers ~200–300 million Platform clip views within 48 hours >1 billion Social interaction units (comments, reposts, likes) Tens of billions Collected data establish the empirical condition necessary for ritualized identity formation that shared temporality (Table 1). The broadcast creates a collective time-space in which viewers encounter identical symbolic material simultaneously. This synchronization is crucial because identity formation in media rituals depends on the knowledge that others are watching, feeling, and recognizing at the same moment (Ianì 2019). Chunwan thus satisfies the primary empirical requirement of a national ritual as collective presence without physical co-location. Cultural Identity Activation Through Recognition and Affect Analysis of performance content reveals that cultural identity is activated primarily through recognition-based cues. Across the examined broadcasts, recurrent elements include traditional musical modes, ritualized bodily gestures, symbolic color palettes (red, gold), poetic references to renewal, and narrative tropes centered on family reunion. These elements appear with high frequency and minimal contextual explanation. A systematic coding of performance segments shows the following distribution (see Table 2). Table 2. Dominant Cultural Cues in Analyzed Chunwan Segments Source: Author’s thematic analysis of narrative, celebrity, and representational datasets derived from Chunwan broadcasts and audience interviews (Datasets D2, D5–D9) Cultural Cue Category Frequency Across Segments Traditional musical structures Very high Familial narrative motifs High Ritualized gestures/dance High Explicit historical explanation Low Direct political messaging Very low This pattern demonstrates that Chunwan relies on culturally sedimented knowledge (Table 2). Viewers are invited to recognize them. Recognition triggers affective response almost immediately, and confirm that cultural identity here functions as embodied familiarity. Interview data reinforce this finding. Viewers repeatedly described their experience using emotional and sensory language. One middle-aged interviewee (V07, female, 45) stated: 「我不会去想它代表什么。音乐一响、颜色一出来，我就已经感觉到是过年了，像回到家一样。」 “I don’t think about what it represents. When the music starts and the colors appear, I already feel it’s New Year. It feels like home.” Another interviewee (V12, male, 28) noted: 「有些表演我并不完全理解，但还是会被打动。在我还没说清楚原因之前，它就已经让我觉得很中国了。」 “Some performances I don’t fully understand, but I still feel moved. It feels Chinese before I can explain why.” Another further clarify this pre-reflective activation. One participant (V05, female, 37) stated: 「这不是理解的问题，而是你一下子就认出来了。你的身体早就知道这个时刻。」 “It’s not about understanding. You just recognize it immediately. Your body already knows this moment.” Another interviewee (V18, male, 41) remarked: 「就算你没有认真看，声音和氛围也已经告诉你这是什么了。」 “Even if you don’t watch carefully, the sound and atmosphere already tell you what it is.” A retired participant (V01, female, 60) added: 「我看这个已经看了几十年了，不需要再解释。感觉先来了。」 “I have watched this for decades. I don’t need explanation anymore. The feeling comes first.” These responses demonstrate that cultural identity is activated at a pre-reflective level. Cognitive understanding is not absent, but it is secondary to affective recognition. Cultural identity thus emerges as an experiential condition grounded in sensory familiarity. Technological Spectacle and Affective Intensification Technological staging significantly amplifies this affective activation. Across the analyzed broadcasts, advanced lighting systems, immersive stage architecture, augmented reality elements, and ultra-high-definition cinematography transform traditional performance forms into visually overwhelming spectacles. Importantly, these technologies magnify existing cultural forms. Interview responses consistently attribute emotional intensity to technological immersion. A younger viewer (V19, female, 21) explained: 「我以前也看过类似的舞蹈，但这一次因为舞台和视觉的关系，感觉不一样了。它显得更宏大，也更有力量。」 “I’ve seen similar dances before, but this time it felt different because of the stage and visuals. It feels bigger, more powerful.” Another participant (V11, male, 24) observed: 「科技让一切都变得更有情感。就连老歌，因为呈现方式不同，也感觉变得新了。」 “The technology makes everything feel more emotional. Even old songs feel new because of how they look.” A working professional (V16, female, 32) commented: 「视觉一下子把你吸进去。你不会去分析，只是被那种强烈的感觉包围，而且是好的那种。」 “The visuals pull you in. You don’t analyze; you just feel overwhelmed in a good way.” An older interviewee (V08, male, 55) similarly remarked: 「内容其实很熟悉，但舞台让它变得更动人。感觉很宏大，像是在呈现一件很重要的事情。」 “The content is familiar, but the stage makes it more touching. It feels grand, like something important.” This indicates an asymmetrical mediation effect: technology strengthens emotional engagement without proportionally increasing symbolic depth. Cultural identity is affectively intensified and supports the study’s central argument that affect is the primary driver of mediated belonging. Narrative Familiarity and Ethical Continuity Narrative segments, particularly comedic sketches and short dramas, contribute to identity formation through ethical recognition. Content analysis reveals that narratives overwhelmingly revolve around family relations, generational misunderstandings, social responsibility, and emotional reconciliation. Interviewees repeatedly emphasized relatability. One participant (V03, male, 52) remarked: 「这些故事就像日常生活一样，不是关于历史或政治，而是提醒你人与人之间应该如何相处。」 “The stories are just like everyday life. It’s not about history or politics. It reminds you how people should treat each other.” A female interviewee echo this perception (V10, 39) stated: 「你会在这些故事里看到自己的家庭，这也是为什么它让人觉得很真实。」 “You see your own family in those stories. That’s why it feels real.” Another participant (V06, male, 47) noted: 「它并不是在直接教文化，而是在展示人们如何一起生活。」 “It’s not teaching culture directly. It’s showing how people live together.” A younger respondent (V15, female, 26) added: 「这些故事看起来很简单，却会让你想到自己的父母和祖父母。」 “The stories feel simple, but they make you think about your parents and grandparents.” Such narratives reinforce Confucian relational ethics, emphasizing harmony and moral repair. However, they rarely expand cultural knowledge or historical awareness. Their function lies in sustaining emotional continuity to operates as moral familiarity embedded in everyday experience. Celebrity Presence and Symbolic Attachment Celebrity appearances function as affective accelerators. Audience interaction data show spikes in engagement during segments featuring nationally recognized performers. Interview data confirm that recognition enhances emotional involvement. As one interviewee (V14, female, 34) stated: 「当我看到熟悉的面孔时，会感觉更有连结感。让人觉得可靠、温暖。」 “When I see familiar faces, I feel more connected. It feels trustworthy and warm.” Another participant (V02, male, 29) explained: 「看到知名的表演者，会让整场演出显得更重要，你也会更专注地去看。」 “Seeing famous performers makes the show feel important. You pay more attention.” A middle-aged interviewee (V17, female, 48) remarked: 「这种感觉让人安心。因为认识这些人，情绪上就会放松下来。」 “It feels reassuring. You know these people, so you relax emotionally.” An older participant (V04, male, 63) added: 「这和他们在政治上是谁无关，只是一种舒服的感觉。」 “It’s not about who they are politically. It’s just comfort.” Yet recognition of celebrities strengthens emotional legitimacy and reinforces affective attachment without altering the representational structure of culture. Internal Orientalism and Curated Diversity Analysis of ethnic and regional performances reveals a consistent representational pattern: diversity is displayed as harmony-ready. Minority cultures and regional traditions appear within carefully curated aesthetic frames emphasizing joy, symmetry, and visual coherence. Ethnographic specificity and historical complexity are minimized. This pattern is reflected in both performance design and audience interpretation. An interviewee (V09, male, 39) commented: 「它呈现了很多文化，但整体感觉很平和、很统一。你不会感到差异，而是感到一种在一起的感觉。」 “It shows many cultures, but all of them feel peaceful and united. You don’t feel differences; you feel togetherness.” Another participant (V13, female, 35) stated: 「一切看起来都很美，也很协调，你看不到冲突。」 “Everything looks beautiful and coordinated. You don’t see conflict.” Another interviewee (V20, male, 44) remarked: 「它们各有不同，但并不疏离，一切都很契合。」 “They feel different, but not distant. Everything fits together.” A younger participant (V18, male, 23) added: 「就好像所有文化都是同一幅画的一部分。」 “It’s like all cultures are part of one picture.” This confirms the operation of internal orientalism, where cultural plurality is reorganized into a coherent national image. Difference is not erased but aestheticized, enabling emotional alignment without tension. Expansion into National Belonging National identity emerges only after cultural attachment has been established. Patriotic finales, national symbols, and collective anthems generate the strongest affective responses when they follow sequences of cultural familiarity. Interviewees frequently described feelings of pride and unity occurring toward the end of the program. One participant (V01, female, 60) explained: 「到最后几首歌响起的时候，我已经很有情绪了。那时才会感到一种自豪感，不是因为歌词，而是前面所有东西累积起来的结果。」 “By the time the final songs come, I already feel emotional. That’s when I feel proud, not because of the words, but because of everything before.” Another interviewee (V07, male, 50) noted: 「到结尾的时候，情绪突然一下子涌上来，感觉所有东西都汇在了一起。」 “At the end, it suddenly feels very emotional. It’s like everything comes together.” A younger respondent (V12, female, 27) commented: 「我不是一开始就感到民族自豪感，而是在演出过程中慢慢生长出来的。」 “I don’t feel national pride immediately. It grows slowly during the show.” A middle-aged participant (V16, male, 46) added: 「那种属于同一个国家的感觉，是在你已经被打动之后才出现的。」 “The feeling of being one country comes after you’ve already been touched.” This demonstrates that national belonging is mediated through cultural identity. Without prior affective immersion, national symbolism remains abstract. Belonging emerges as an emotional extension of cultural recognition. Platform Circulation and Collective Visibility Finally, platform-based circulation extends the ritual beyond the broadcast. Short clips, comments, and reposts transform private emotional responses into visible collective participation. Identity is enacted through repetition and visibility (Simatupang and Sampurno 2024). This secondary ritualization confirms that national identity is co-produced by audiences. Belonging becomes socially validated through public expression, reinforcing the affective bonds established during the broadcast. Taken together, the data confirm a mediated identity formation model in which Chunwan activates cultural identity through recognition and affect, intensifies emotional attachment through technological spectacle, and expands this attachment into national belonging through ritual repetition and collective visibility. Cultural identity operates as the indispensable intermediary between media representation and national imagination. National belonging emerges as a lived and affective experience renewed through symbolic performance. Discussion Such processes align closely with Hans-Georg Gadamer’s hermeneutic philosophy, which emphasizes that understanding unfolds through participation within tradition (Gadamer 2019 ). Gadamer argued that meaning arises through a “fusion of horizons,” where historical continuity encounters present experience (Gadamer and Palmer 2007 ; Gadamer 2019 ). Chunwan facilitates such fusion through its ritual timing and symbolic repetition. Cultural symbols appear as historical artifacts and as lived expressions reactivated through performance (Swidler 1986 ). Emotional attachment therefore precedes conceptual reflection, reinforcing cultural identity as an experiential condition (Chen et al. 2018 ). Technological staging plays a decisive role in intensifying this activation (Zhao 2024 ). Chunwan productions increasingly employ immersive stage architecture, augmented reality overlays, ultra-high-definition visuals, and synchronized lighting systems that transform performance into spectacle. Empirical observation shows that such technological elements generate heightened emotional response across audience demographics, particularly among younger viewers accustomed to digital media aesthetics. Media forms reshape sensory perception and social experience, and in the context of Chunwan, technology amplifies cultural emotion without requiring increased narrative density or historical explanation. Audience feedback data reported through post-broadcast surveys and online commentary frequently emphasize visual impact and emotional atmosphere. Viewers describe performances as “moving,” “spectacular,” or “emotionally stirring,” often referencing visual scale and musical intensity (Sedgman 2019 ; Meyer-Dinkgräfe 2023 ). This pattern supports the analytical finding that technological spectacle enhances cultural emotion more consistently than narrative depth enhances cultural cognition. Such asymmetry directly answers the research objective concerning which program elements most effectively activate cultural identity. Narrative segments, particularly comedic sketches and short dramatic performances, contribute differently to identity formation (Gao 2012 ). That narratives overwhelmingly revolve around familial interaction, generational tension, moral misunderstanding, and emotional reconciliation (Lei et al. 2023 ). Such narratives mirror everyday social experience, allowing viewers to recognize relational dynamics. Confucian philosophy provides a critical interpretive lens here. Confucius emphasized moral cultivation through relational conduct that ethical alignment precedes political belonging (Chen and Yang 2023 ). Chunwan narratives function within this ethical framework, reinforcing social harmony and emotional familiarity. However, that narrative content exerts limited influence on expanding cultural cognition. Historical references remain generalized and symbolic (Arrault 2019 ; Meng 2023 ). Narrative emphasis lies on emotional resolution (Yang 2025 ). Ethical familiarity sustains affective continuity without necessarily deepening symbolic knowledge (Tektigul et al. 2023 ). Cultural identity therefore emerges more strongly through aesthetic immersion than narrative explanation (Ye 2024 ), reinforcing the mediating role of affect emphasized within this study. Celebrity presence further illustrates the mediated nature of identity formation (Chen and Gao 2023 ). Chunwan consistently features nationally recognized performers whose visibility generates immediate audience engagement (Wang 2010 ). Audience metrics indicate that segments involving high-profile performers receive heightened online interaction and emotional response (Simatupang and Sampurno 2024 ). Recognition strengthens cultural emotion through attachment and familiarity. Yet celebrity symbolism contributes minimally to cultural cognition, as performer recognition does not equate to deeper understanding of cultural heritage. This asymmetry makes recognition that enhances affective legitimacy without guaranteeing substantive knowledge (Huhn et al. 1996 ). Internal orientalism becomes especially visible through selective cultural representation through regional traditions, ethnic minority performances, and historical motifs appear within refined aesthetic frames that emphasize harmony and continuity (Ahn 2015 ; Feng 2016 ). Empirical observation shows that such performances prioritize visual coherence, color coordination, and choreographic symmetry over ethnographic specificity. Cultural diversity remains visible yet abstracted, transformed into symbolic resource so it process exemplifies what Said ( 1978 ) described as the aesthetic ordering of culture through representational authority (Allès 2014 ; Chan 2018 ). Such curation to reorganizes it into a coherent national image (Cai 2014 ). Minority cultures appear joyful, timeless, and harmonious, reinforcing unity without tension (Tu 2024 ). Philosophically, this reflects internal orientalism’s function in stabilizing national imagination through symbolic coherence (Wang 2022 ). Identity appears performative to produced through repetition and aesthetic selection. National identity formation within Chunwan unfolds as an extension of cultural attachment. Patriotic symbolism resonates most effectively when preceded through cultural recognition (Liu et al. 2015 ). National songs, choral finales, and visual symbols of statehood gain emotional legitimacy after viewers have experienced cultural familiarity and affective immersion. Pride and belonging emerge through emotional continuity. Viewers associate Chunwan with feelings of unity, pride, and collective warmth, and that national identity develops through affective deepening of cultural identity (Jiao 2024 ). Without cultural mediation, national symbolism remains abstract and emotionally distant. This case confirms a full mediation relationship between media representation and national identity. Chunwan’s production features exert influence on national belonging indirectly through their capacity to strengthen cultural cognition and emotion. Social identity emphasizes that group identification requires emotional attachment and symbolic recognition before political alignment occurs (Ferrer 2021 ). Cultural identity therefore operates as the essential bridge through which media ritual shapes national imagination. Philosophically, this case affirms identity as an experiential and relational process. Media rituals function as symbolic sites where cultural familiarity becomes emotionally intensified, enabling national belonging to emerge organically through participation. Chunwan demonstrates how contemporary media sustains collective identity through affective mediation and it echoing Benedict Anderson’s argument that nations exist through shared imagination. Conclusions Chunwan clarifies how national belonging forms through affective organization of cultural familiarity within a synchronized media event. Cultural identity appears as an experiential hinge linking symbolic representation to collective attachment. Recognition emerges through sensory cues embedded in performance design and ritual timing, yielding embodied assurance and emotional warmth that guide interpretation. Technological spectacle heightens intensity and expands scale, strengthening immersion while leaving symbolic meaning relatively stable. Narrative segments cultivate ethical continuity through relational scenes that resonate with Confucian orientations to family, duty, and moral repair, sustaining cultural belonging as lived atmosphere. Celebrity presence functions as symbolic anchoring, concentrating attention and trust through shared familiarity. Curated representations of regional and minority cultures display plurality as aesthetic coherence, revealing internal orientalism as an ordering practice that secures unity through stylized difference. Patriotic finales achieve their strongest effects after affective accumulation across the program, indicating that pride consolidates through emotional continuity across segmented encounters. Platform circulation extends the ritual across time, turning private feeling into collective visibility and reinforcing belonging through repeated public expression. The study contributes a mediation model for analyzing televised festivals as philosophical sites of identity production. Future research can deepen comparative insight through cross-year longitudinal analysis, diaspora-focused interviews, and platform-specific circulation mapping to examine how shifts in technology, audience practice, and cultural policy reshape the affective architecture of belonging. Recommendations Several recommendations emerge from the findings of this study. First , future research on media rituals and national identity would benefit from comparative longitudinal analysis across multiple years of Chunwan broadcasts. Such an approach would clarify how shifts in cultural policy, technological aesthetics, and social discourse reshape affective mediation over time. Second , extending the analytical framework to include diasporic audiences can deepen understanding of how mediated rituals sustain belonging beyond territorial boundaries. Third , platform-specific studies are recommended to examine how short-video circulation, algorithmic amplification, and participatory commentary reorganize ritual meaning after broadcast. Therefore, comparative studies with other national festivals and televised rituals in Asia and beyond can test the broader applicability of the mediation model proposed here, and it contributes into global debates on media power, cultural sovereignty, and affective governance in contemporary societies. Declarations Ethical Approval This study involved qualitative interviews with adult participants. The study received approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee of Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), Malaysia (Reference: 2025-0203-03). All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations of the Human Research Ethics Committee of Sultan Idris Education University. All participants provided informed consent prior to participation. Interview data were anonymized at transcription and reporting stages, stored securely, and used only for research purposes in accordance with institutional ethical guidelines. Data Availability The qualitative data supporting the findings of this study include broadcast recordings, coded performance segments, anonymized interview transcripts, and platform circulation materials. Due to ethical considerations and participant confidentiality, interview transcripts are not publicly available. Aggregated and anonymized data may be made available by the corresponding author upon reasonable request, subject to institutional ethical guidelines. Originality and Publication Statement The authors declare that this manuscript is an original work. The article has not been previously published, in whole or in part, in any journal, edited volume, or other scholarly outlet. The manuscript is not currently under consideration for publication elsewhere, nor has it been submitted simultaneously to another journal. All sources have been appropriately acknowledged, and the work complies fully with standards of academic integrity and originality. Competing Interests The authors declare that they have no competing financial or non-financial interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication. Funding No external funding was received for this study. Ethical Approval This study involved qualitative interviews with adult participants. The study received approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee of Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), Malaysia (Reference: 2025-0203-03). All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations of the Human Research Ethics Committee of Sultan Idris Education University. All participants provided informed consent prior to participation. Interview data were anonymized at transcription and reporting stages, stored securely, and used only for research purposes in accordance with institutional ethical guidelines. Author Contribution W.S. contributed to data acquisition, broadcast corpus compilation, interview data collection, qualitative coding, and initial drafting of the manuscript. W.S. also participated in thematic interpretation and assisted in the preparation of tables and empirical datasets. M.B.T.S. conceptualized the research framework, designed the methodological and philosophical approach, supervised the overall research process, led theoretical integration, conducted advanced hermeneutic and interdisciplinary analysis, and substantially revised and finalized the manuscript. L.P.G. contributed to analytical validation, theoretical refinement, critical review of cultural and sociological interpretation, and manuscript editing for scholarly coherence and interdisciplinary positioning.All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript. All authors agree to be accountable for their individual contributions and for ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the work as a whole. 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From classical metaphysics to contemporary cultural theory, identity has never appeared as a static or self-contained phenomenon (Hall \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Instead, it emerges as a dynamic field of relations involving memory, representation, power, and imagination. In modern societies saturated with media images, identity increasingly takes form through symbolic mediation (Boylorn and Orbe \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). Television, digital platforms, and large-scale broadcast rituals actively shape how individuals perceive belonging, difference, continuity, and collective destiny.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCultural identity and national identity stand at the center of this mediated terrain. Cultural identity concerns how individuals recognize themselves within shared traditions, symbols, and affective worlds, while national identity refers to a broader political and imagined affiliation that binds diverse populations into a perceived unity (Mulcahy \u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). Besides, media operate as crucial intermediaries, translating cultural signs into national narratives and shaping how subjects understand themselves as members of a cultural lineage and a national collective (Couldry \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Philosophical reflections on identity from both Western and Eastern traditions illuminate this process (Macdonald \u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). In Western thought, identity has often been framed in terms of dialectical relations between self and other, presence and representation (Emelyanova et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel conceptualized identity as recognition achieved through intersubjective struggle, in which selfhood arises through acknowledgement within a social order (Wright \u003cspan citationid=\"CR67\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1983\u003c/span\u003e). Later, Anderson (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e) reframed national identity as an \u0026ldquo;imagined community,\u0026rdquo; sustained through shared media practices than face-to-face interaction. Besides, Edward Said (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1978\u003c/span\u003e) extended this line of inquiry by revealing how representation constructs cultural knowledge, emphasizing that identity formation unfolds within asymmetrical systems of power and discourse.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrientalist philosophy contributes a critical lens through which identity can be examined as a product of symbolic construction. Orientalism, as articulated by Said (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1978\u003c/span\u003e), exposes how cultural identities emerge through narrative framing, aesthetic repetition, and selective memory. While Said focused on Western representations of the East, his conceptual apparatus proves equally valuable for examining how societies represent themselves. Internal orientalism, a concept developed in later scholarship, describes how nations aestheticize their own traditions, selectively narrating history in ways that stabilize identity and authority (All\u0026egrave;s \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). Media rituals operate as privileged sites where such internal representations crystallize.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWithin Chinese philosophical traditions, identity has long been understood relationally (S. Rošker \u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Confucian thought situates the self within networks of family, ritual, and moral obligation (Zhang \u003cspan citationid=\"CR73\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). Identity develops through \u003cem\u003e礼/禮 (lǐ)\u003c/em\u003e, or ritual practice, which organizes social harmony and ethical continuity (Lai \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Wang et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR63\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Daoist philosophy, in contrast, emphasizes fluidity, transformation, and harmony with cosmic rhythms (Wang et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR63\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Both traditions reject rigid notions of selfhood, offering frameworks where identity evolves through participation in collective practices and symbolic orders. Contemporary media rituals resonate strongly with such philosophical foundations, translating ancient relational ethics into modern audiovisual forms.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTelevised national spectacles function as contemporary rituals that rearticulate philosophical notions of selfhood, community, and continuity. Such events create shared temporal experiences that synchronize individual attention across vast populations. Media theorists have described this phenomenon as ritual communication (Hepp \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e; Hepp et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e), in which the primary function is to reaffirm collective meaning. Through repetition, spectacle, and emotional resonance, televised rituals cultivate affective bonds that stabilize cultural memory and national sentiment.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChina\u0026rsquo;s CCTV Spring Festival Gala, commonly known as 春节联欢晚会 (Chunwan), exemplifies this process with exceptional scale and symbolic density (Cui \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). Broadcast annually on Lunar New Year\u0026rsquo;s Eve, Chunwan reaches hundreds of millions of viewers across domestic and diasporic contexts. The program occupies a unique temporal position, coinciding with familial reunion, ritual renewal, and symbolic transition (Dezheng \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). Within this liminal moment, Chunwan operates as a national mirror, reflecting curated images of tradition, progress, harmony, and belonging.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe philosophical significance of Chunwan extends beyond entertainment value (Xu et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR69\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). As a media event, it performs ideological work through aesthetic means. Visual spectacle, musical performance, narrative sketches, and technological innovation converge to produce an experiential field where cultural recognition and emotional attachment intertwine. Viewers encounter familiar symbols, dialects, melodies, and moral narratives within a unified broadcast frame that transforms diversity into coherence (Shafira and Rui \u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). This process echoes Anderson\u0026rsquo;s insight that national identity emerges through shared media consumption (Anderson \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e), yet Chunwan intensifies this dynamic through ritual timing and affective saturation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCultural identity within such a context unfolds through two interrelated dimensions: cognitive recognition and emotional attachment. Cognitive recognition involves understanding symbols, narratives, and historical references embedded within performances (Geertz and Marić \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1972\u003c/span\u003e). Emotional attachment arises through affective responses such as pride, nostalgia, warmth, and collective joy. Philosophical hermeneutics suggests that understanding always involves affect, as interpretation remains inseparable from embodied experience (Petrovici \u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). Hans-Georg Gadamer emphasized that meaning arises through participation within tradition (Gadamer \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Chunwan invites precisely such participation, drawing viewers into a shared interpretive horizon.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNational identity develops as cultural recognition expands into political belonging (Edensor \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). When individuals perceive their cultural experiences as part of a larger national story, personal identity aligns with collective imagination. Media facilitates this alignment through symbolic integration (Moreno-Barreneche \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Wei \u003cspan citationid=\"CR66\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e), through songs celebrating national history, performances representing ethnic diversity, and narratives emphasizing unity generate a sense of shared destiny. Such representations transform cultural memory into national affect, producing pride and belonging through aesthetic encounter.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrientalist theory enriches this analysis by foregrounding representation as an act of selection and framing (Said \u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1978\u003c/span\u003e). Chunwan does not present culture in its raw, plural form, but instead, it curates tradition, selecting elements that align with narratives of harmony, continuity, and progress. Folk dances appear alongside high-definition visuals and digital effects, positioning heritage within modern technological aesthetics (Zhou \u003cspan citationid=\"CR75\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). This juxtaposition constructs an image of cultural timelessness in sync with national modernization. Such representation performs an internal orientalizing function, aestheticizing tradition while integrating it into a state-sanctioned narrative.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTechnological spectacle plays a decisive role in this process. Advanced stage design, augmented reality, and immersive visuals generate sensory intensity, amplifying emotional engagement. Philosophers of technology have long argued that tools shape perception and meaning. Marshall McLuhan\u0026rsquo;s (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e) assertion that media forms reshape human consciousness finds renewed relevance within such spectacles. Technology transforms how tradition is perceived, remembered, and felt. Within Chunwan, technology mediates the relationship between past and present, producing an image of continuity through innovation (Jing \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCelebrity presence introduces another philosophical dimension. Familiar figures function as affective anchors, embodying cultural ideals and social aspirations (Wangmo \u003cspan citationid=\"CR65\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Viewers recognize faces associated with success, virtue, or artistic excellence, projecting personal identification onto national narratives (Xu et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR70\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). However, celebrity symbolism emphasizes emotion over cognition. Recognition of a performer does not necessarily deepen understanding of cultural history, though it strengthens emotional resonance (Xu et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR70\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). This asymmetry reveals how affect often precedes reflection within mediated identity formation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNarrative elements further contribute to identity construction by dramatizing moral values. Short sketches and musical stories depict familial bonds, generational continuity, and social responsibility. Such narratives resonate with Confucian ethical frameworks, emphasizing harmony, respect, and collective duty (Kim \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). As Hermann (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) said about philosophical anthropology recognizes storytelling as a fundamental mode through which societies transmit values, Chunwan mobilizes narrative to reaffirm ethical continuity, aligning individual emotions with collective norms.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInternational segments introduce a global dimension to national identity. Performances involving foreign artists or cross-cultural fusion projects present an image of openness and cosmopolitan engagement (Benet-Mart\u0026iacute;nez et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e). Through such segments, national identity positions itself within global cultural flows, asserting confidence and cultural sovereignty (Lin \u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). This constructs a vision of national selfhood capable of engaging in dialogue without dissolving, and relate into the mediating role of cultural identity within this process reveals a layered structure of influence. Media features give culture recognition and affect serve as intermediaries (Xu \u003cspan citationid=\"CR68\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). Phenomenological philosophy supports this sequence, emphasizing that political identity arises from lived cultural experience. Maurice Merleau-Ponty (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e) argued that meaning emerges through embodied perception, suggesting that national identity gains force when rooted in sensory and emotional engagement.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChunwan exemplifies this mediation through ritual repetition within annual recurrence reinforces familiarity, transforming media consumption into tradition. Repetition stabilizes meaning through ritualized expectation (Wang-Kaeding \u003cspan citationid=\"CR64\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Each broadcast renews cultural memory while adjusting representation to contemporary contexts. This dialectic between continuity and change sustains identity across generations.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eUnderstanding such processes holds significance beyond the Chinese context. In an era characterized by fragmented media consumption and algorithmic personalization, large-scale shared rituals grow increasingly rare. Chunwan demonstrates how centralized media can still produce collective imagination at a national scale. Philosophical inquiry into such phenomena illuminates broader questions concerning identity formation, power, and representation within mediated societies.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study approaches Chunwan as a philosophical case of mediated identity construction from the perspectives of orientalist theory, media philosophy, and cultural hermeneutics. Cultural identity and national identity appear as interconnected yet distinct dimensions, linked through symbolic mediation. Media rituals emerge as contemporary sites where philosophical questions concerning selfhood, belonging, and representation materialize through aesthetic practice.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThrough examining how Chunwan mobilizes cultural cognition and emotion to cultivate national belonging, deeper insight emerges into the subtle mechanisms through which media participates in shaping collective self-understanding. Such analysis contributes to ongoing debates concerning cultural sovereignty, media power, and the philosophical foundations of identity in a globalized yet fragmented world.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Materials and Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study adopts a qualitative philosophical research orientation grounded in interpretive and hermeneutic epistemology (Richardson 2015; Jonas et al. 2017; Smith 2023). Identity, culture, and national belonging are approached as meaning-laden and relational phenomena that emerge through symbolic mediation. Knowledge within this framework is produced through interpretation of cultural texts, experiential accounts, and mediated practices, recognizing that identity is constituted through participation, recognition, and affect.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis epistemological position aligns with hermeneutic philosophy (Richardson 2015), which treats meaning as historically situated and relational (Baronov 2021). Media rituals, performances, and audience experiences are understood as layered symbolic formations whose significance unfolds through interpretive engagement (Trent and Cho 2020). Then, the study examines how cultural familiarity, emotional resonance, and representational coherence operate together to shape collective imagination. This approach is particularly suited to contemporary conditions in which identity increasingly forms through mediated images, shared spectacles, and ritualized repetition.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe research follows a qualitative case-based design centered on a single, large-scale televised national ritual: the CCTV Spring Festival Gala (Chunwan,春节联欢晚会\u0026nbsp;in Chinese). The case is treated as a concentrated symbolic environment where cultural memory, aesthetic strategy, and national imagination converge. Its annual recurrence, mass audience reach, and ritual timing render it an analytically rich site for examining mediated identity formation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnalytical logic proceeds through interpretive layering, that media representation is analytically positioned as a mediating layer that translates representational forms into affective experience, which then expands into national belonging (Esin et al. 2014; Kakkori 2020). This logic reflects philosophical approaches that emphasize mediation, participation, and affect over transmission and persuasion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eCase Selection and Contextual Relevance\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChunwan was selected due to its unparalleled scale, ritual timing, and symbolic density within the Chinese media landscape. Broadcast annually on Lunar New Year\u0026rsquo;s Eve, the program coincides with familial reunion, temporal transition, and cultural renewal. This liminal positioning intensifies emotional receptivity and symbolic recognition, allowing identity to be experienced collectively.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe case is also contextually relevant due to its ongoing transformation through technological innovation and platform convergence. Chunwan integrates traditional cultural forms with advanced visual systems and digital circulation, reflecting contemporary negotiations between heritage and modernity, and make it particularly suitable for philosophical inquiry into mediated identity in technologically saturated societies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eData Sources and Corpus Construction\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study draws upon a multi-layered qualitative corpus consisting of broadcast texts, audience accounts, and circulation traces.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrimary data include full recorded Chunwan broadcasts and their constituent performance segments, encompassing music, dance, opera, comedic sketches, narrative dramas, and ceremonial finales. These materials are treated as cultural artifacts, while visual composition, sound design, choreography, narrative pacing, and staging technologies are analyzed as symbolic forms that shape perception and affect.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 1. Dataset Description, Collection Context, and Analytical Procedure\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSource: Researcher, 2025\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"602\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDataset\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Type\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQuantity / Scope\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 80px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTime of Collection\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 77px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLocation / Context\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRationale for Inclusion\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 98px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCoding \u0026amp; Analytical Procedure\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eD1. Chunwan Broadcast Corpus\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAudiovisual media texts\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFull broadcasts from multiple recent editions (entire programs)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 80px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDuring annual Spring Festival Gala broadcasts (recent years)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 77px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNational television broadcast and official digital platforms\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo examine Chunwan as a ritualized national media event and primary symbolic environment\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 98px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHermeneutic close reading; segmentation into performance units; temporal sequencing analysis\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eD2. Performance Segment Dataset\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDiscrete performance units\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAll major segments per broadcast (music, dance, opera, comedy, drama, finales)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 80px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eConcurrent with D1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 77px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWithin each broadcast program\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo identify symbolic structures and cultural cues within the ritual\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 98px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSegment-level coding based on symbolic form, narrative type, and performative function\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eD3. Cultural Cue Coding Dataset\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCoded symbolic elements\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eRecurrent cues across all segments\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 80px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePost-broadcast analysis\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 77px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAnalytical corpus derived from D2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo examine recognition-based cultural activation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 98px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDeductive\u0026ndash;inductive coding of cues (music, gesture, colour, narrative focus); frequency classification (very high\u0026ndash;very low)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eD4. Technological Staging Dataset\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVisual\u0026ndash;technical features\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAll segments using advanced staging (lighting, AR, immersive visuals)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 80px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eConcurrent with D2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 77px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBroadcast stage environment\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo analyse affective intensification through media technology\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 98px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThematic coding of technological mediation and affective amplification\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eD5. Narrative Theme Dataset\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNarrative content\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAll narrative-based sketches and short dramas\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 80px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eConcurrent with D2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 77px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBroadcast narrative segments\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo analyse ethical continuity and relational familiarity\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 98px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThematic narrative coding (family, reconciliation, responsibility, moral repair)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eD6. Celebrity Presence Dataset\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePerformer-based segments\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAll segments featuring nationally recognised performers\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 80px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eConcurrent with D2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 77px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBroadcast performance context\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo assess affective attachment through symbolic recognition\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 98px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCoding of performer recognition and affective anchoring\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eD7. Representational Diversity Dataset\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCultural representation units\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAll ethnic and regional performances\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 80px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eConcurrent with D2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 77px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBroadcast cultural showcases\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo examine internal orientalism and curated plurality\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 98px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eInterpretive analysis of aesthetic framing, harmony, and abstraction of difference\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eD8. Qualitative Interview Dataset\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSemi-structured interviews\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20 participants (V01-V20)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 80px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePost-broadcast period\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 77px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eUrban viewers with regular exposure to Chunwan\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo capture lived experience of recognition, affect, and belonging\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 98px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eInterpretive thematic analysis focused on pre-reflective affect and recognition\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eD9. Interview Excerpt Corpus\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVerbatim quotations\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMultiple excerpts per participant\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 77px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eInterview transcripts\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo empirically ground experiential claims\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 98px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eExcerpt selection based on thematic saturation and analytical relevance\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eD10. Audience Synchronization Indicators\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAggregated audience metrics\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBroadcast-scale indicators (viewing, circulation, interaction)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 80px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBroadcast night and immediate post-broadcast window\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 77px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTelevision and digital platforms\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo establish ritual scale and shared temporality\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 98px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDescriptive aggregation and interpretive contextualisation (non-statistical)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eD11. Platform Circulation Dataset\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCirculated media traces\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eClips, comments, reposts, interactions\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 80px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePost-broadcast\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 77px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSocial and digital platforms\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 82px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo analyse ritual extension and collective visibility\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 98px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eInterpretive reading of repetition, visibility, and participatory enactment\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo ground interpretive claims in lived experience, the study incorporates semi-structured qualitative interviews with 20 viewers. Participants were selected to reflect variation in age, gender, and media habits, while sharing familiarity with Chunwan as an annual ritual. Interviews focused on experiential responses, eliciting descriptions of recognition, emotion, familiarity, and feelings of belonging.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSupplementary data include aggregated platform circulation indicators and sampled public discourse generated during and immediately after the broadcast. These materials provide evidence of ritual extension, participatory repetition, and collective visibility, allowing analysis of how identity is publicly enacted beyond the broadcast itself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eInterview Procedure and Analytical Use\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterviews were conducted using open-ended prompts designed to elicit experiential narratives (Seidman 2006). Questions focused on how participants perceived performances, what they felt during viewing, and when feelings of unity or pride emerged. Interviews were anonymized and coded using interpretive thematic analysis. Interview data were treated as phenomenological accounts that reveal how mediated symbols are recognized and emotionally internalized. Quotations are used analytically to illustrate recurrent experiential patterns.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eAnalytical Method and Interpretive Procedure\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnalysis follows a hermeneutic cycle moving between empirical material and theoretical reflection (Richardson 2015; Kakkori 2020). Initial readings identified recurring symbolic motifs related to tradition, family, harmony, technological spectacle, and national imagery. Subsequent interpretation situated these motifs within philosophical frameworks derived from orientalist theory, media ritual theory, and Chinese relational ontology.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrientalist theory guided analysis of aesthetic framing and cultural selection, particularly the operation of internal orientalism through curated representations of diversity (Said 1978). Media ritual theory informed examination of synchronization, repetition, and affective alignment (Edensor 2020). Confucian and Daoist philosophies deepened interpretation of relational ethics, moral familiarity, and transformation through continuity (Zhang 2015; Kim 2023).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSensory and emotional dimensions of media experience were treated as primary data. Visual spectacle, musical rhythm, and narrative familiarity were analyzed as mechanisms that sustain cultural familiarity and enable national sentiment to emerge experientially. The study maintains reflexive awareness of its interpretive positioning. Philosophical inquiry acknowledges that interpretation unfolds within specific theoretical and cultural horizons. Engagement with orientalist critique ensures sensitivity toward power and representation, while attention to indigenous philosophical traditions prevents external imposition of meaning.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReflexivity supports balanced analysis that recognizes both integrative and selective aspects of media representation. Identity is understood as negotiated participation within symbolic systems, imposed ideology or autonomous choice. This research also have ethical considerations concern interpretive responsibility. Interview data were anonymized and used to illuminate experiential patterns (Karim and Hue 2022). Media texts were engaged critically and respectfully as carriers of collective memory and cultural value. Therefore, the integration of broadcast analysis, audience interviews, and circulation indicators within a hermeneutic framework, demonstrates engagement of philosophical inquiry can affect contemporary media phenomena with empirical rigor. The approach advances understanding of identity as mediated, affective, and relational, providing a robust foundation for analyzing televised national rituals as sites of collective imagination.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eAI-Assisted Translation and Language Editing\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo ensure clarity and consistency in presenting Chinese-language interview excerpts and selected broadcast terms, AI-based translation tools were used to produce initial translations from Chinese to English. All AI-assisted translations were then reviewed and refined by the researcher through comparison with the original Chinese text to preserve meaning, tone, and culturally specific expressions, especially where idioms, affective nuance, or ritual vocabulary carried interpretive weight.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition, Grammarly was used at the final drafting stage to support English grammar, spelling, and readability. These tools were applied solely for language support and editing. They were not used to generate data, to perform coding, or to determine analytical interpretations, which remained grounded in the hermeneutic procedure and the study corpus.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis section presents the results of the study by integrating empirical material, interpretive analysis, and conceptual discussion into a unified account of how Chunwan mediates national belonging through cultural identity. In line with the qualitative hermeneutic design, data are treated as situated expressions of meaning, affect, and recognition (Jonas et al. 2017; Kakkori 2020). Three principal data sources inform the results: (1) close analysis of multiple Chunwan broadcast segments across recent editions, (2) semi-structured qualitative interviews with viewers, and (3) aggregated audience and platform response indicators. Together, these data illuminate how cultural recognition precedes and enables national identification.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eRitual Scale and Synchronized Attention as Empirical Foundation\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the structural level, Chunwan operates under conditions of exceptional synchronization. Audience data indicate that the live broadcast attracts several hundred million simultaneous viewers, with cumulative viewing instances exceeding one billion across television and digital platforms. Table 1 summarizes the scale and circulation pattern observed during the analyzed broadcast year.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 1. Summary of Chunwan Audience Synchronization\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSource: Author\u0026rsquo;s qualitative coding of Chunwan broadcast performance segments (Datasets D1-D3)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIndicator\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObserved Range\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLive television viewers\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e~650\u0026ndash;700 million\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal viewing instances (TV + digital)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;1 billion\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMobile live viewers\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e~200\u0026ndash;300 million\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePlatform clip views within 48 hours\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;1 billion\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSocial interaction units (comments, reposts, likes)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTens of billions\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCollected data establish the empirical condition necessary for ritualized identity formation that shared temporality (Table 1). The broadcast creates a collective time-space in which viewers encounter identical symbolic material simultaneously. This synchronization is crucial because identity formation in media rituals depends on the knowledge that others are watching, feeling, and recognizing at the same moment (Ian\u0026igrave; 2019). Chunwan thus satisfies the primary empirical requirement of a national ritual as collective presence without physical co-location.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eCultural Identity Activation Through Recognition and Affect\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnalysis of performance content reveals that cultural identity is activated primarily through recognition-based cues. Across the examined broadcasts, recurrent elements include traditional musical modes, ritualized bodily gestures, symbolic color palettes (red, gold), poetic references to renewal, and narrative tropes centered on family reunion. These elements appear with high frequency and minimal contextual explanation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA systematic coding of performance segments shows the following distribution (see Table 2).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 2. Dominant Cultural Cues in Analyzed Chunwan Segments\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSource: Author\u0026rsquo;s thematic analysis of narrative, celebrity, and representational datasets derived from Chunwan broadcasts and audience interviews (Datasets D2, D5\u0026ndash;D9)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCultural Cue Category\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 49px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency Across Segments\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTraditional musical structures\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 49px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVery high\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFamilial narrative motifs\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 49px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigh\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eRitualized gestures/dance\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 49px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigh\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eExplicit historical explanation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 49px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLow\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 50px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDirect political messaging\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 49px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVery low\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis pattern demonstrates that Chunwan relies on culturally sedimented knowledge (Table 2). Viewers are invited to recognize them. Recognition triggers affective response almost immediately, and confirm that cultural identity here functions as embodied familiarity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterview data reinforce this finding. Viewers repeatedly described their experience using emotional and sensory language. One middle-aged interviewee (V07, female, 45) stated:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「我不会去想它代表什么。音乐一响、颜色一出来，我就已经感觉到是过年了，像回到家一样。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t think about what it represents. When the music starts and the colors appear, I already feel it\u0026rsquo;s New Year. It feels like home.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother interviewee (V12, male, 28) noted:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「有些表演我并不完全理解，但还是会被打动。在我还没说清楚原因之前，它就已经让我觉得很中国了。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Some performances I don\u0026rsquo;t fully understand, but I still feel moved. It feels Chinese before I can explain why.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother further clarify this pre-reflective activation. One participant (V05, female, 37) stated:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「这不是理解的问题，而是你一下子就认出来了。你的身体早就知道这个时刻。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s not about understanding. You just recognize it immediately. Your body already knows this moment.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother interviewee (V18, male, 41) remarked:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「就算你没有认真看，声音和氛围也已经告诉你这是什么了。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Even if you don\u0026rsquo;t watch carefully, the sound and atmosphere already tell you what it is.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA retired participant (V01, female, 60) added:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「我看这个已经看了几十年了，不需要再解释。感觉先来了。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I have watched this for decades. I don\u0026rsquo;t need explanation anymore. The feeling comes first.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese responses demonstrate that cultural identity is activated at a pre-reflective level. Cognitive understanding is not absent, but it is secondary to affective recognition. Cultural identity thus emerges as an experiential condition grounded in sensory familiarity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eTechnological Spectacle and Affective Intensification\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTechnological staging significantly amplifies this affective activation. Across the analyzed broadcasts, advanced lighting systems, immersive stage architecture, augmented reality elements, and ultra-high-definition cinematography transform traditional performance forms into visually overwhelming spectacles. Importantly, these technologies magnify existing cultural forms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterview responses consistently attribute emotional intensity to technological immersion. A younger viewer (V19, female, 21) explained:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「我以前也看过类似的舞蹈，但这一次因为舞台和视觉的关系，感觉不一样了。它显得更宏大，也更有力量。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve seen similar dances before, but this time it felt different because of the stage and visuals. It feels bigger, more powerful.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother participant (V11, male, 24) observed:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「科技让一切都变得更有情感。就连老歌，因为呈现方式不同，也感觉变得新了。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;The technology makes everything feel more emotional. Even old songs feel new because of how they look.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA working professional (V16, female, 32) commented:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「视觉一下子把你吸进去。你不会去分析，只是被那种强烈的感觉包围，而且是好的那种。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;The visuals pull you in. You don\u0026rsquo;t analyze; you just feel overwhelmed in a good way.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn older interviewee (V08, male, 55) similarly remarked:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「内容其实很熟悉，但舞台让它变得更动人。感觉很宏大，像是在呈现一件很重要的事情。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;The content is familiar, but the stage makes it more touching. It feels grand, like something important.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis indicates an asymmetrical mediation effect: technology strengthens emotional engagement without proportionally increasing symbolic depth. Cultural identity is affectively intensified and supports the study\u0026rsquo;s central argument that affect is the primary driver of mediated belonging.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eNarrative Familiarity and Ethical Continuity\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNarrative segments, particularly comedic sketches and short dramas, contribute to identity formation through ethical recognition. Content analysis reveals that narratives overwhelmingly revolve around family relations, generational misunderstandings, social responsibility, and emotional reconciliation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterviewees repeatedly emphasized relatability.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne participant (V03, male, 52) remarked:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「这些故事就像日常生活一样，不是关于历史或政治，而是提醒你人与人之间应该如何相处。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;The stories are just like everyday life. It\u0026rsquo;s not about history or politics. It reminds you how people should treat each other.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA female interviewee echo this perception (V10, 39) stated:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「你会在这些故事里看到自己的家庭，这也是为什么它让人觉得很真实。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;You see your own family in those stories. That\u0026rsquo;s why it feels real.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother participant (V06, male, 47) noted:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「它并不是在直接教文化，而是在展示人们如何一起生活。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s not teaching culture directly. It\u0026rsquo;s showing how people live together.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA younger respondent (V15, female, 26) added:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「这些故事看起来很简单，却会让你想到自己的父母和祖父母。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;The stories feel simple, but they make you think about your parents and grandparents.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuch narratives reinforce Confucian relational ethics, emphasizing harmony and moral repair. However, they rarely expand cultural knowledge or historical awareness. Their function lies in sustaining emotional continuity to operates as moral familiarity embedded in everyday experience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eCelebrity Presence and Symbolic Attachment\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCelebrity appearances function as affective accelerators. Audience interaction data show spikes in engagement during segments featuring nationally recognized performers. Interview data confirm that recognition enhances emotional involvement.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs one interviewee (V14, female, 34) stated:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「当我看到熟悉的面孔时，会感觉更有连结感。让人觉得可靠、温暖。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;When I see familiar faces, I feel more connected. It feels trustworthy and warm.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother participant (V02, male, 29) explained:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「看到知名的表演者，会让整场演出显得更重要，你也会更专注地去看。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Seeing famous performers makes the show feel important. You pay more attention.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA middle-aged interviewee (V17, female, 48) remarked:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「这种感觉让人安心。因为认识这些人，情绪上就会放松下来。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;It feels reassuring. You know these people, so you relax emotionally.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn older participant (V04, male, 63) added:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「这和他们在政治上是谁无关，只是一种舒服的感觉。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s not about who they are politically. It\u0026rsquo;s just comfort.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet recognition of celebrities strengthens emotional legitimacy and reinforces affective attachment without altering the representational structure of culture.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eInternal Orientalism and Curated Diversity\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnalysis of ethnic and regional performances reveals a consistent representational pattern: diversity is displayed as harmony-ready. Minority cultures and regional traditions appear within carefully curated aesthetic frames emphasizing joy, symmetry, and visual coherence. Ethnographic specificity and historical complexity are minimized.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis pattern is reflected in both performance design and audience interpretation. An interviewee (V09, male, 39) commented:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「它呈现了很多文化，但整体感觉很平和、很统一。你不会感到差异，而是感到一种在一起的感觉。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;It shows many cultures, but all of them feel peaceful and united. You don\u0026rsquo;t feel differences; you feel togetherness.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother participant (V13, female, 35) stated:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「一切看起来都很美，也很协调，你看不到冲突。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Everything looks beautiful and coordinated. You don\u0026rsquo;t see conflict.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother interviewee (V20, male, 44) remarked:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「它们各有不同，但并不疏离，一切都很契合。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;They feel different, but not distant. Everything fits together.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA younger participant (V18, male, 23) added:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「就好像所有文化都是同一幅画的一部分。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s like all cultures are part of one picture.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis confirms the operation of internal orientalism, where cultural plurality is reorganized into a coherent national image. Difference is not erased but aestheticized, enabling emotional alignment without tension.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eExpansion into National Belonging\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNational identity emerges only after cultural attachment has been established. Patriotic finales, national symbols, and collective anthems generate the strongest affective responses when they follow sequences of cultural familiarity. Interviewees frequently described feelings of pride and unity occurring toward the end of the program.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne participant (V01, female, 60) explained:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「到最后几首歌响起的时候，我已经很有情绪了。那时才会感到一种自豪感，不是因为歌词，而是前面所有东西累积起来的结果。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;By the time the final songs come, I already feel emotional. That\u0026rsquo;s when I feel proud, not because of the words, but because of everything before.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother interviewee (V07, male, 50) noted:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「到结尾的时候，情绪突然一下子涌上来，感觉所有东西都汇在了一起。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;At the end, it suddenly feels very emotional. It\u0026rsquo;s like everything comes together.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA younger respondent (V12, female, 27) commented:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「我不是一开始就感到民族自豪感，而是在演出过程中慢慢生长出来的。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t feel national pride immediately. It grows slowly during the show.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA middle-aged participant (V16, male, 46) added:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e「那种属于同一个国家的感觉，是在你已经被打动之后才出现的。」\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;The feeling of being one country comes after you\u0026rsquo;ve already been touched.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis demonstrates that national belonging is mediated through cultural identity. Without prior affective immersion, national symbolism remains abstract. Belonging emerges as an emotional extension of cultural recognition.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003ePlatform Circulation and Collective Visibility\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, platform-based circulation extends the ritual beyond the broadcast. Short clips, comments, and reposts transform private emotional responses into visible collective participation. Identity is enacted through repetition and visibility (Simatupang and Sampurno 2024). This secondary ritualization confirms that national identity is co-produced by audiences. Belonging becomes socially validated through public expression, reinforcing the affective bonds established during the broadcast. Taken together, the data confirm a mediated identity formation model in which Chunwan activates cultural identity through recognition and affect, intensifies emotional attachment through technological spectacle, and expands this attachment into national belonging through ritual repetition and collective visibility. Cultural identity operates as the indispensable intermediary between media representation and national imagination. National belonging emerges as a lived and affective experience renewed through symbolic performance.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eSuch processes align closely with Hans-Georg Gadamer\u0026rsquo;s hermeneutic philosophy, which emphasizes that understanding unfolds through participation within tradition (Gadamer \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Gadamer argued that meaning arises through a \u0026ldquo;fusion of horizons,\u0026rdquo; where historical continuity encounters present experience (Gadamer and Palmer \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e; Gadamer \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Chunwan facilitates such fusion through its ritual timing and symbolic repetition. Cultural symbols appear as historical artifacts and as lived expressions reactivated through performance (Swidler \u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1986\u003c/span\u003e). Emotional attachment therefore precedes conceptual reflection, reinforcing cultural identity as an experiential condition (Chen et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTechnological staging plays a decisive role in intensifying this activation (Zhao \u003cspan citationid=\"CR74\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Chunwan productions increasingly employ immersive stage architecture, augmented reality overlays, ultra-high-definition visuals, and synchronized lighting systems that transform performance into spectacle. Empirical observation shows that such technological elements generate heightened emotional response across audience demographics, particularly among younger viewers accustomed to digital media aesthetics. Media forms reshape sensory perception and social experience, and in the context of Chunwan, technology amplifies cultural emotion without requiring increased narrative density or historical explanation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAudience feedback data reported through post-broadcast surveys and online commentary frequently emphasize visual impact and emotional atmosphere. Viewers describe performances as \u0026ldquo;moving,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;spectacular,\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;emotionally stirring,\u0026rdquo; often referencing visual scale and musical intensity (Sedgman \u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Meyer-Dinkgr\u0026auml;fe \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). This pattern supports the analytical finding that technological spectacle enhances cultural emotion more consistently than narrative depth enhances cultural cognition. Such asymmetry directly answers the research objective concerning which program elements most effectively activate cultural identity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNarrative segments, particularly comedic sketches and short dramatic performances, contribute differently to identity formation (Gao \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). That narratives overwhelmingly revolve around familial interaction, generational tension, moral misunderstanding, and emotional reconciliation (Lei et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Such narratives mirror everyday social experience, allowing viewers to recognize relational dynamics. Confucian philosophy provides a critical interpretive lens here. Confucius emphasized moral cultivation through relational conduct that ethical alignment precedes political belonging (Chen and Yang \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Chunwan narratives function within this ethical framework, reinforcing social harmony and emotional familiarity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, that narrative content exerts limited influence on expanding cultural cognition. Historical references remain generalized and symbolic (Arrault \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Meng \u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Narrative emphasis lies on emotional resolution (Yang \u003cspan citationid=\"CR71\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Ethical familiarity sustains affective continuity without necessarily deepening symbolic knowledge (Tektigul et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Cultural identity therefore emerges more strongly through aesthetic immersion than narrative explanation (Ye \u003cspan citationid=\"CR72\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e), reinforcing the mediating role of affect emphasized within this study.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCelebrity presence further illustrates the mediated nature of identity formation (Chen and Gao \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Chunwan consistently features nationally recognized performers whose visibility generates immediate audience engagement (Wang \u003cspan citationid=\"CR62\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e). Audience metrics indicate that segments involving high-profile performers receive heightened online interaction and emotional response (Simatupang and Sampurno \u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Recognition strengthens cultural emotion through attachment and familiarity. Yet celebrity symbolism contributes minimally to cultural cognition, as performer recognition does not equate to deeper understanding of cultural heritage. This asymmetry makes recognition that enhances affective legitimacy without guaranteeing substantive knowledge (Huhn et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1996\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInternal orientalism becomes especially visible through selective cultural representation through regional traditions, ethnic minority performances, and historical motifs appear within refined aesthetic frames that emphasize harmony and continuity (Ahn \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e; Feng \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). Empirical observation shows that such performances prioritize visual coherence, color coordination, and choreographic symmetry over ethnographic specificity. Cultural diversity remains visible yet abstracted, transformed into symbolic resource so it process exemplifies what Said (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1978\u003c/span\u003e) described as the aesthetic ordering of culture through representational authority (All\u0026egrave;s \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e; Chan \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuch curation to reorganizes it into a coherent national image (Cai \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). Minority cultures appear joyful, timeless, and harmonious, reinforcing unity without tension (Tu \u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Philosophically, this reflects internal orientalism\u0026rsquo;s function in stabilizing national imagination through symbolic coherence (Wang \u003cspan citationid=\"CR61\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Identity appears performative to produced through repetition and aesthetic selection.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNational identity formation within Chunwan unfolds as an extension of cultural attachment. Patriotic symbolism resonates most effectively when preceded through cultural recognition (Liu et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). National songs, choral finales, and visual symbols of statehood gain emotional legitimacy after viewers have experienced cultural familiarity and affective immersion. Pride and belonging emerge through emotional continuity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eViewers associate Chunwan with feelings of unity, pride, and collective warmth, and that national identity develops through affective deepening of cultural identity (Jiao \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Without cultural mediation, national symbolism remains abstract and emotionally distant. This case confirms a full mediation relationship between media representation and national identity. Chunwan\u0026rsquo;s production features exert influence on national belonging indirectly through their capacity to strengthen cultural cognition and emotion. Social identity emphasizes that group identification requires emotional attachment and symbolic recognition before political alignment occurs (Ferrer \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Cultural identity therefore operates as the essential bridge through which media ritual shapes national imagination.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhilosophically, this case affirms identity as an experiential and relational process. Media rituals function as symbolic sites where cultural familiarity becomes emotionally intensified, enabling national belonging to emerge organically through participation. Chunwan demonstrates how contemporary media sustains collective identity through affective mediation and it echoing Benedict Anderson\u0026rsquo;s argument that nations exist through shared imagination.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eChunwan clarifies how national belonging forms through affective organization of cultural familiarity within a synchronized media event. Cultural identity appears as an experiential hinge linking symbolic representation to collective attachment. Recognition emerges through sensory cues embedded in performance design and ritual timing, yielding embodied assurance and emotional warmth that guide interpretation. Technological spectacle heightens intensity and expands scale, strengthening immersion while leaving symbolic meaning relatively stable. Narrative segments cultivate ethical continuity through relational scenes that resonate with Confucian orientations to family, duty, and moral repair, sustaining cultural belonging as lived atmosphere. Celebrity presence functions as symbolic anchoring, concentrating attention and trust through shared familiarity. Curated representations of regional and minority cultures display plurality as aesthetic coherence, revealing internal orientalism as an ordering practice that secures unity through stylized difference. Patriotic finales achieve their strongest effects after affective accumulation across the program, indicating that pride consolidates through emotional continuity across segmented encounters. Platform circulation extends the ritual across time, turning private feeling into collective visibility and reinforcing belonging through repeated public expression.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study contributes a mediation model for analyzing televised festivals as philosophical sites of identity production. Future research can deepen comparative insight through cross-year longitudinal analysis, diaspora-focused interviews, and platform-specific circulation mapping to examine how shifts in technology, audience practice, and cultural policy reshape the affective architecture of belonging.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eRecommendations\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSeveral recommendations emerge from the findings of this study. \u003cem\u003eFirst\u003c/em\u003e, future research on media rituals and national identity would benefit from comparative longitudinal analysis across multiple years of Chunwan broadcasts. Such an approach would clarify how shifts in cultural policy, technological aesthetics, and social discourse reshape affective mediation over time. \u003cem\u003eSecond\u003c/em\u003e, extending the analytical framework to include diasporic audiences can deepen understanding of how mediated rituals sustain belonging beyond territorial boundaries. \u003cem\u003eThird\u003c/em\u003e, platform-specific studies are recommended to examine how short-video circulation, algorithmic amplification, and participatory commentary reorganize ritual meaning after broadcast. Therefore, comparative studies with other national festivals and televised rituals in Asia and beyond can test the broader applicability of the mediation model proposed here, and it contributes into global debates on media power, cultural sovereignty, and affective governance in contemporary societies.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEthical Approval This study involved qualitative interviews with adult participants. The study received approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee of Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), Malaysia (Reference: 2025-0203-03). All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations of the Human Research Ethics Committee of Sultan Idris Education University. All participants provided informed consent prior to participation. Interview data were anonymized at transcription and reporting stages, stored securely, and used only for research purposes in accordance with institutional ethical guidelines.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe qualitative data supporting the findings of this study include broadcast recordings, coded performance segments, anonymized interview transcripts, and platform circulation materials. Due to ethical considerations and participant confidentiality, interview transcripts are not publicly available. Aggregated and anonymized data may be made available by the corresponding author upon reasonable request, subject to institutional ethical guidelines.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginality and Publication Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that this manuscript is an original work. The article has not been previously published, in whole or in part, in any journal, edited volume, or other scholarly outlet. The manuscript is not currently under consideration for publication elsewhere, nor has it been submitted simultaneously to another journal. All sources have been appropriately acknowledged, and the work complies fully with standards of academic integrity and originality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting Interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no competing financial or non-financial interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo external funding was received for this study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical Approval\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study involved qualitative interviews with adult participants. The study received approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee of Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), Malaysia (Reference: 2025-0203-03). All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations of the Human Research Ethics Committee of Sultan Idris Education University. All participants provided informed consent prior to participation. Interview data were anonymized at transcription and reporting stages, stored securely, and used only for research purposes in accordance with institutional ethical guidelines.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eW.S. contributed to data acquisition, broadcast corpus compilation, interview data collection, qualitative coding, and initial drafting of the manuscript. W.S. also participated in thematic interpretation and assisted in the preparation of tables and empirical datasets. M.B.T.S. conceptualized the research framework, designed the methodological and philosophical approach, supervised the overall research process, led theoretical integration, conducted advanced hermeneutic and interdisciplinary analysis, and substantially revised and finalized the manuscript. L.P.G. contributed to analytical validation, theoretical refinement, critical review of cultural and sociological interpretation, and manuscript editing for scholarly coherence and interdisciplinary positioning.All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript. All authors agree to be accountable for their individual contributions and for ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the work as a whole.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAhn C-H (2015) A Study on the Ritual and Function of CCTV Spring Festival Gala. 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Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences 9:. https://doi.org/10.2478/amns.2023.1.00120\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":true,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Chunwan, media ritual, affective mediation, national belonging, internal orientalism","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8872367/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8872367/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eChina\u0026rsquo;s CCTV Spring Festival Gala (Chunwan) operates as an annual media ritual that fosters national belonging through affective mediation. Integrating hermeneutic interpretation, media ritual theory, orientalist critique, and Chinese relational philosophy, this study examines how cultural identity is activated and consolidated into national attachment. Using qualitative analysis of broadcast performances, symbolic staging features, narrative structures, celebrity presence, curated cultural diversity, interviews with 20 viewers, and post-broadcast platform circulation, the study identifies a sequential mediation process. Recognition-based cultural cues generate pre-reflective affect and familiarity. Technological spectacle intensifies emotional engagement, while narrative sketches sustain ethical continuity through relational themes. Celebrity visibility strengthens attachment, and curated diversity aestheticizes plurality into symbolic harmony, revealing internal orientalism. Patriotic finales resonate after cumulative affect across the program, while digital circulation extends ritual participation. The findings propose a mediation model positioning cultural identity as the key link between audiovisual representation and lived national belonging.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"How China’s Spring Festival Gala Turns Cultural Recognition into National Belonging","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-19 09:30:38","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8872367/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"f39c37c5-b76f-4c06-8eff-a6c534533001","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 19th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":63082136,"name":"Humanities/Cultural and media studies"},{"id":63082137,"name":"Social science/Cultural and media studies"},{"id":63082138,"name":"Humanities/Theatre and performance studies"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-19T05:55:11+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-19 09:30:38","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8872367","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8872367","identity":"rs-8872367","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}