from 01.01.2022 to 01.01.2024
St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
The article describes virtual digital personages as new means of communication and promoting Chinese culture in the global media environment. Virtual digital personages are a new communication tool. They perform various roles, functions, and tasks by connecting individuals with various scenarios and providing feedback on these scenarios. Their experience helps people complete new learning and socialization processes. The author used communicative properties of virtual digital personages to examine their communication tools in practice. The article introduces some cases when virtual personages represented Chinese culture in different scenarios. Virtual personages proved an effective representation and promotion tool that improves the image of Chinese culture abroad. They show that virtual digital technologies are important for cultural communication and possess great potential in promoting cultural values globally. Virtual digital personages play a key role in the digitalization of cultural communication, thus providing new options for the dissemination and preservation of China’s cultural heritage on a global scale.
virtual reality, virtual digital person, promotion of Chinese culture, digital technologies, cultural communication
1. Ball M. The metaverse: And how it will revolutionize everything. Moscow: Alpina Publisher, 2023, 362. (In Russ.)
2. Katrechko S. L. Internet and consciousness: Towards the concept of a virtual person. Influence of the Internet on the consciousness and structure of knowledge, ed. Rozin V. M. Moscow: RAS Institute of Philosophy, 2004, 57–72. (In Russ.)
3. Kirillova N. B. "Virtual reality" and "virtualization of culture" as concepts of modern cultural studies. Observatory of Culture, 2017, 14(5): 524–531. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.25281/2072-3156-2017-14-5-524-531
4. Pivovarov D. V. Main categories of ontology. Ekaterinburg: USU, 2003, 268. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/qwhyzz
5. Toffler E. Powershift: Knowledge, wealth, and violence at the edge of the 21st century. Moscow: AST, 2003, 669. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/qoccfp
6. White L. Favorites: The Science of Culture. Moscow: ROSSPEN, 2004, 960. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/qodhwh
7. Abbate S., Centobelli P., Cerchione R., Oropallo E., Riccio E. A first bibliometric literature review on Metaverse. 2022 IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Conference (TEMSCON EUROPE). Turkey: Izmir, 2022, 254–260. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TEMSCONEUROPE54743.2022.9802015
8. Asp K. News media logic in a new institutional perspective. Journalism Studies, 2014, 15(3): 256–270. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2014.889456
9. Bailenson J. N., Beall A. C., Loomis J., Blascovich J., Turk M. Transformed social interaction: Decoupling representation from behavior and form in collaborative virtual environments. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 2004, 13(4): 428–441. https://doi.org/10.1162/1054746041944803
10. Bawaya M. Virtual archaeologists recreate parts of ancient worlds. Science, 2010, 327(5962): 140–141. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.327.5962.140
11. Bian Y., Leng J., Zhao J. L. Demystifying metaverse as a new paradigm of enterprise digitization. BigData – BigData 2021: Proc. 10th Intern. Conf., 10–14 Dec 2021. Springer, Cham., 2021, vol. 12988, 109–119. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96282-1_8
12. Bogdanovych A., Rodriguez J. A., Simoff S., Cohen A. Virtual agents and 3D virtual worlds for preserving and simulating cultures. Intelligent Virtual Agents. IVA 2009, eds. Ruttkay Z., Kipp M., Nijholt A., Vilhjálmsson H. H. Berlin-Heidelberg: Springer, 2009, 257–271. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04380-2_29
13. Carrozzino M., Scucces A., Leonardi R., Evangelista C., Bergamasco M. Virtually preserving the intangible heritage of artistic handicraft. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2011, 12(1): 82–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2010.10.002
14. Castells M. The rise of the network society: The information age: Economy, society, and culture. Wiley, 2010, 597.
15. Couldry N. Mediatization or mediation? Alternative understandings of the emergent space of digital storytelling. New Media & Society, 2008, 10(3): 373–391. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1461444808089414
16. Gammage C. Exploring oculus rift: A historical analysis of the ‘virtual reality’ paradigm. ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies. 2017. URL: https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/art108/9/ (accessed 9 Apr 2024).
17. Grau O. Virtual art: From illusion to immersion. MIT Press: Cambridge, MA, USA, 2003, 430. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/7104.001.0001
18. Gutiérrez M. A., Vexo F., Thalmann D. Stepping into virtual reality. L.: Springer, 2008, 214. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-117-6
19. Hills K. Digital sensations: Space, identity, and embodiment in virtual reality. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999, 316.
20. Kim U., Shin K. Content concept for VR-based Interactive Korean Traditional Dance ExperienZone (IKTDEZ). 2017 International Conference on Culture and Computing, 10–12 Sep 2017, 118–122. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/Culture.and.Computing.2017.31
21. LaValle S. M. Virtual reality. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2023, 430. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108182874
22. Levoy M. The digital Michelangelo project. Exploring David: Diagnostic tests and state of conservation, eds. Bracci S., Falletti F., Matteini M., Scopigno R. Florence: Giunti Editore, 2004, 31–37.
23. Magnenat-Thalmann N., Thalmann D. Virtual humans: Thirty years of research, what next? The Visual Computer, 2005, 21(12): 997–1015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00371-005-0363-6
24. Mansour S., El-Said M., Rude-Parkins C., Nandigam J. The interactive effect of avatar visual fidelity and behavioral fidelity in the collaborative virtual reality environment on the perception of social interaction. Proceedings of the 10th WSEAS International Conference on Communications, Athens, 2006, 375–383.
25. Noh Z., Sunar M. S., Pan Z. A review on augmented reality for virtual heritage system. Learning by playing. Game-based education system design and development: Proc. 4th Intern. Conf. on E-learning. Edutainment 2009, Banff, Canada, 9–11 Aug 2009. Berlin: Springer Science & Business Media, 2009, vol. 5670, 50–61. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03364-3_7
26. Owen T., Pitt F., Aronson-Rath R., Milward J. Virtual Reality Journalism: Research Project by the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University, 2015. URL: https://www.cjr.org/tow_center_reports/virtual_reality_journalism.php (accessed 9 Apr 2024).
27. Park S., Kim S. P., Whang M. Individual’s social perception of virtual avatars embodied with their habitual facial expressions and facial appearance. Sensors, 2021, 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21175986
28. Steuer J. Defining virtual reality: Dimensions determining telepresence. Journal of Communication, 1992, 42(4): 73–93. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1992.tb00812.x
29. Sullivan A. Me. Cultural heritage & new media: A future for the past. The John Marshall Review of Intellectual Property Law, 2016, 15: 604–646.
30. Vosinakis S., Avradinis N., Koutsabasis P. Dissemination of a intangible cultural heritage using multi-agent virtual world. Advances in Digital Cultural Heritage, eds. Ioannides M., Martins J., Žarnić R., Lim V. Berlin: Springer, 2018, 197–207. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75789-6_14
31. Cheng Sici, You Goming, Yang Jiayi, Xu jiao. Virtual digital human: An experimental environment – analysis of communication mechanism and media properties of virtual digital human. News, 2022, 12–23. (In Chin.) URL: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA4NDgzNTcyNw==&mid=2650001209&idx=1&sn=3b9a69ce1a39d405e270aae1831d683f&chksm=87e643d9b091cacfacf692d002f5481a1a5e0b8135e9e309efc828509512a7e5eb7b39c4730e (accessed 9 Apr 2024).
32. Kong Danyu. Preliminary study of immersive communication in digital media. Journalism Research Guide, 2018, 9(19): 75–77. (In Chin.) URL: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbcode=CJFD&filename=XWDK201819041 (accessed 9 Apr 2024).
33. Li Jiangjing, Li Xiaolin. The significance and application of ideological and political education of national culture style. Ideological Education Research, 2022, 2: 92–96. (In Chin.) URL: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzUzMDg1MzQ2Ng==&mid=2247494088&idx=2&sn=d6421911d457a555e00104a7e8f19369&chksm=fa49d2fdcd3e5beb8fc95a8f36aa033621394ed14bc52ad221b4dd089feb523b33d9ef0867e8&scene=27 (accessed 9 Apr 2024).
34. Liu Hunyu, Zhang Yiran. Research Approach in the Field of Media Anthropology, Opening with the Concept of Virtual Media. Modern Communication, 2021, 4. (In Chin.)
35. Lo Min. Using virtual reality technology to preserve "Intangible Cultural Heritage" exemplified by Chongqing Sichuan Opera. Sichuan Drama, 2016, (11). (In Chin.)
36. Ma Fangnan, Zhu Minjian. Immersive poetic space: A study of Char Davis’ virtual art. Contemporary painting, 2019, 1: 93–96. (In Chin.)
37. Peng Li, Peng Lu. The new media technologies change and improve the media – research based on VR, AR, and MR technologies. Journal of Southwest University for Nationalities (Natural Science Edition), 2016, 37(10): 153–157. (In Chin.)
38. Sun Zhenhu, Li Youdi. The model of immersion and future development trends of VR News. News and Write, 2016, (9): 4–5. (In Chin.)
39. Wei Yali, Du Boyang. Study of the designing of the image of the virtual digital human in the context of the metaverse. Art and design (Theory), 2023, 2(10): 69–71. (In Chin.)
40. Xiang Zixu. Exploring the path of national-style virtual digital people, empowering the innovative communication ability of traditional Chinese culture. Beijing Culture Creativity, 2024, (1): 20–25. (In Chin.)
41. Yi Xianfei, Hu Jingpu. Uncertainty and mechanism of control for artificial emotion technology. Jishou Univerity Journal (Social Science Edition), 2023, 1: 124–133. (In Chin.)
42. Zhang Aifeng. Reconstructing the media and spreading the value of China's cultural memory through original cultural programs. Contemporary Communications, 2017, 5: 85–90. (In Chin.)
43. Zhou Xiao. Innovative research of camera language and narrative logic in VR films and television productions. Global Premiere, 2021, 12: 20–22. (In Chin.)
