Opportunities and Challenges of Crosscultural Communication of

Chinese Mythical Films in the Digital Age

Yangrui Zhao

School of Journalism and Communication, Henan University, Henan, Zhengzhou, 475001, China

Keywords: Cross-Cultural Communication, Digital Media Technology, Theories of Cultural Discount and Cultural

Adaptation.

Abstract: Under globalization, the crosscultural dissemination of Chinese mythological films faces both opportunities

and challenges. Based on crosscultural communication theory, this paper analyzes the cultural conflicts and

adaptation issues in their dissemination. Factors such as cultural differences, language barriers, cultural

affinity, and overseas market barriers in the cultural discount theory hinder dissemination. The cultural

adaptation theory, however, requires films to adjust language, cultural elements, and narrative styles

according to the target market. Taking films like Ne Zha: I Am the Destiny as examples, the paper dissects

the manifestations of cultural conflicts; the success of Chang'an Chang'an and The Wandering Earth proves

the importance of crosscultural adaptation. Digital media technology has enhanced visual effects to attract

international audiences, but the transmission of cultural connotations and values is equally important. This

paper argues that enhancing cultural sensitivity, achieving crosscultural adaptation, and improving visual

effects can help Chinese mythological films showcase the charm of Chinese culture on the international stage

and promote the global spread of Chinese culture.

1 INTRODUCTION

In the context of globalization, crosscultural

communication has become a vital means of

interaction between countries (Samovar & Porter,

1972; Holliday, 2011). China, with its profound

history and rich culture, holds unique significance in

this process. Chinese mythological films, as carriers

of Chinese culture, play a crucial role in enhancing its

global influence and fostering intercultural under-

standing. However, cultural differences pose

challenges in crosscultural communication, including

conflicts and adaptation issues, as well as the impact

of film visual effects on communication

effectiveness. This article will explore these

challenges from a theoretical perspective and propose

solutions to support the international development of

Chinese mythological films (Zhang, 2024).

2 THE ORETICAL BASIS OF

CROSS-CUTURAL

COMMUNICATION

2.1 Theoretical Background

In the views of Larry A. Samovar and Adrian

Holliday, explaining the process of information

exchange between people from different cultural

backgrounds and critically examining crosscultural

communication in the context of ideological

inequality is referred to as crosscultural

communication behavior (Samovar & Porter, 1972;

Holliday, 2011). However, there is a clear imbalance

in cultural exchange between different countries in

the extensive trading of cultural products, which is

inevitably related to differences in the acceptance of

imported cultural forms (Zhang, 2024). The academic

community has conducted years of research on this

and established a certain theoretical foundation.

Hiliman Egbert (1988) proposed the cultural discount

theory and the cultural adaptation theory. With the

acceleration of globalization, crosscultural

communication has become increasingly necessary

Zhao, Y.

Opportunities and Challenges of Crosscultural Communication of Chinese Mythical Films in the Digital Age.

DOI: 10.5220/0013995300004916

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication (PRMC 2025), pages 511-516

ISBN: 978-989-758-778-8

511

and important. The rapid development of film has

made it an important channel for crosscultural

communication. Film is a special cultural product that

has both cultural and social attributes. However, in

the process of dissemination, they may also encounter

some problems such as cultural discount theory and

cultural adaptation theory (Redfield, Linton, &

Herskovits, 1936; Yan, 2010).

2.2 Cultural Discount Theory

2.2.1 Cultural Differences and Cultural

Cognition

Movies are not only a form of entertainment or

symbol that spreads entertainment functions through

specific media but also carry and express a country's

social life and national culture. In crosscultural film

exchange, the economic development level, political

form, social cognition, and historical system of

different countries are not the same, so cultural

differences are inevitable (Zhu, 2008; Yin, 1996).

2.2.2 Language Barriers

Language is an important carrier of culture, and

language differences are also an important source of

cultural discounts. The language and text in local film

and television works often have a strong local cultural

color, making it difficult to fully convey their original

emotions, charm, and cultural connotations during the

translation process. For example, some poems,

idioms, etc (Hou, 2006). in Chinese film and

television works are difficult to find corresponding

expressions in other languages, which makes it

difficult for overseas audiences to understand their

deeper meanings.

2.2.3 Cultural Kinship

From the perspective of communication studies, they

can see that audiences have different levels of

acceptance. Chinese mythological films mainly

explore the roots of Chinese culture, and those with

similar cultural backgrounds are better able to

appreciate the excellent traditional Chinese cultural

connotations that directors want to express (Zhang &

Wang, 2018). However, the cultural affinity in

overseas markets is weaker, making it difficult for

audiences to understand the connotations of

mythological films during their dissemination.

2.2.4 Cultural Barriers in Overseas Markets

The institutional and cultural barriers in overseas

markets can also lead to cultural dis-counts. Some

Western countries impose strict restrictions and

content censorship on im-ported film and television

works, limiting the entry and dissemination of foreign

film and television works. These barriers not only

affect the exposure of works but may also lead creators

to sacrifice the unique features of their works in order

to cater to the local market (Dai & Qiu, 2004).

2.3 Cultural Adaptation Theory

The theory of cultural adaptation refers to the need to

adjust cultural products according to the cultural

characteristics of the target market in crosscultural

communication, in order to improve their acceptance

and influence. Run Yugang and Guo Xinru's Cultural

Discounts and Product Strategies for China's

Foreign Cultural Trade believe that cultural

background, language, and historical traditions are

important reasons for the emergence of cultural

discounts. Choosing a cultural affinity market can to

some extent alleviate cultural discounts (Jiang &

Zhang, 2022). Liu Ling and Peng Zhubin's Analysis

of the Development Status and Strategies of China's

Film and Television Trade also believes that utilizing

the cultural affinity advantage of the Han cultural

circle is one of the strategies for Chinese films to go

global (Zhang & Wang, 2018).

2.3.1 Adjustments During Language

Translation

Language is an important carrier of cultural

dissemination, and the dialogue and subtitles in

movies need to be adjusted according to the language

habits of the target market. For ex-ample, in the

translation process, it is important to avoid direct

translation and instead use expressions that are more

in line with the local language style and cultural

background (Feng, 2023). In addition, the language

style and tone in mythological films should also be

adjusted according to the cultural characteristics of

the target market to enhance audience resonance.

2.3.2 Localized Changes to Cultural

Elements

The cultural elements in movies, such as values,

customs, historical background, etc., need to be

adjusted according to the cultural cognition of foreign

markets. For example, movies can introduce cultural

symbols and story elements familiar to the target

PRMC 2025 - International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication

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market to enhance the audience's sense of identity.

Meanwhile, Chinese mythological films can also

simplify or explain some cultural elements that are

difficult to understand, making them more easily

accepted by audiences in other markets. In

crosscultural communication of movies, to

successfully achieve crosscultural dissemination, it is

necessary to have a deep under-standing of the target

culture and ensure that the content meets its

acceptance. Movies not only need to draw on the

essence of local culture but also present it in the form

of ethnic aesthetics and emotional art, while

considering the interpretation ability of audiences

from different cultural backgrounds, and triggering

emotional resonance. Although cultural differences

are challenges in crosscultural communication, they

are also opportunities. Cultural differences are the

foundation of crosscultural communication, and it is

precisely because of the existence of differences that

the necessity and urgency of crosscultural

communication are more prominent. The core of

crosscultural communication lies in the exchange and

interaction between different cultures (Zhang, 2020).

2.3.3 Adjustment of Narrative Style

Audiences from different cultural backgrounds have

different preferences for narrative rhythm and plot

structure. But it is necessary to capture the global

common culture and emotions when writing, and

movies can adapt to the audience habits of the target

market by adjusting their narrative style. For

example, Western audiences may prefer linear

storytelling and explicit conflict resolution, while

Asian audiences may be more receptive to multi line

storytelling and implicit emotional expression. The

film production team can adjust the narrative rhythm

and plot settings based on the cultural characteristics

of the target market to enhance the audience's viewing

experience (Jiang, Croucher, & Ji, 2021).

3 CULTURAL CONFLICT AND

ADAPTATION IN

CROSSCULTURAL

COMMUNICATION OF

CHINESE MYTHICAL FILMS

3.1 Conflict of Values and Cultural

Differences

In Feng Zhenzhao's (2023) Research on the

Mechanism of Resolving Cross Cultural Conflicts

from the Perspective of Embedding Theory, it is

proposed that culture is a collection of human

knowledge, religious beliefs, customs, and habits, all

of which influence our way of thinking and speech.

In different cultural backgrounds, the values subject

will experience cultural differences due to different

ways of negotiation. Similarly, in the dissemination

of Chinese mythological IP, the dissemination of

Chinese elements is also embedded. In the

international dissemination of films, different cultural

differences are inevitable. The academic community

has extensively studied this issue, mostly based on

cultural dimension theory, and believes that cultural

heterogeneity is the main cause of conflict. However,

crosscultural communication is not always smooth

sailing. Cultural conflict is an inevitable problem in

crosscultural communication, rooted in cultural

differences. For example, Chinese culture

emphasizes collectivism while Western culture

emphasizes individual-ism, and this difference may

lead to conflicts in values and behavior patterns

(Feng, 2023; Zhang, 2024). In the past two days, the

popular film Ne Zha: The Birth of the Demon Child

has achieved both box office success and good

reputation in China, but its response overseas is

average. 65% of the audience in the North American

market are Chinese, and European cinemas view it

more as an "Eastern curiosity show". This

phenomenon of "internal heat and external coldness"

reflects cultural discounts. The film is based on

traditional Chinese mythology, and the Chinese

cultural symbols and values contained in the film are

difficult for overseas audiences to fully understand.

For ex-ample, elements such as bone cutting back to

the father and spirit bead magic pill lack cultural

background support overseas. The reasons why Yuan

Shi Tianzun designated the rein-carnation of the spirit

bead and the antagonist setting of Shen Gongbao have

not been clearly explained, making it difficult for

Western audiences to understand the cultural con-

notations behind them, Secondly, there are a large

number of dialect dialogues and localized humor

points in the film, which makes it difficult to preserve

the original meaning in translation, resulting in a lack

of resonance among overseas audiences and

insufficient over-seas distribution and promotion.

After the film achieved great success in China,

overseas distribution was rushed and there was no

optimal window period for early layout of inter-

national market measures. In addition, in Fengshen

Part One: Chaoge Fengyun, the film attempts to

integrate traditional Chinese culture with Hollywood

narrative mode, but fails to balance them well,

resulting in the story appearing flashy and lacking

Opportunities and Challenges of Crosscultural Communication of Chinese Mythical Films in the Digital Age

513

profound cultural connotations. The film pursues

spectacle in visual effects but fails to effectively

convey core values in cultural output, resulting in the

superficial dissemination of cultural symbols.

3.2 Language Translation and

Localization Challenges

When cultural products are produced in other

languages, the audience needs to rely on dubbing or

subtitles to understand the content. Even when using

the same language, accents with regional

characteristics may pose difficulties for the audience's

understanding and appreciation, in which case

dubbing and subtitles are equally indispensable (Yan,

2010).

There are some issues with the subtitles and

dubbing of the overseas version of Ne Zha: The Birth

of the Demon Child, such as the controversy

surrounding the translation of "dragon" from "Four

Seas Dragon King" into "dragon", as the image and

meaning of "dragon" in Western culture are different

from those in China. Some of the vocabulary and

lines with Chinese cultural characteristics in

Fengshen Part One: Chaoge Fengyun may also affect

the audience's understanding if the translation is not

accurate enough or not close enough to the language

habits of overseas audiences. Secondly, when

released over-seas, if the localization process cannot

be well carried out, such as selecting suitable voice

actors, adjusting subtitle translations to conform to

local cultural habits, etc., the attractive-ness of the

film will be reduced. For example, if the voice of a

voice actor does not match the character's image, or if

the subtitle translation is too literal, it will make

overseas audiences feel unnatural. This affects the

perception of the film.

3.3 The Influence of Audience Cultural

Background

Due to the lack of familiarity of Western audiences

with Chinese mythological stories, it is difficult for

them to resonate emotionally with the plot and

characters in the film as Chinese audiences do. For

example, in the movie Ne Zha: The Birth of the

Demon Child, Ne Zha's shout "My fate is determined

by me, not by heaven" may have a strong emotional

resonance among Chinese audiences, but it may not

have the same effect among Western audiences.

Western audiences are more accustomed to

Western mythology and superhero stories, such as

Greek mythology, Norse mythology, or Marvel

Universe, which have a deep cultural foundation and

a wide audience base in Western culture.

3.4 Development of Digital Media

Technology

Based on people's evaluations of Chinese

mythological films from different eras on IMDB, they

can find that people have a clearer and more

comprehensive understanding of Chinese myths

released more recently, and their evaluations are

higher. This reflects that with the advancement of

technology, film production companies have made

Chinese mythological stories more vivid and

interactive through technologies such as artificial

intelligence, virtual reality, and motion capture,

providing Western audiences with a better viewing

experience (Du, 2023; Alforova et al., 2021). These

technological means not only reduce the difficulty of

understanding caused by cultural barriers, but also

enhance the audience's immersion, thereby improving

their acceptance of Chinese mythological stories.

4 SUCCESSFUL CASES OF

CROSSCULTURAL

ADAPTATION

One important way to resolve crosscultural conflicts

is crosscultural adaptation, which is one of the core

concepts of crosscultural communication. American

anthropologist Robert Redfield (n.d) proposed that

when two cultures continue to contact, the cultural

model will change, which is called cultural

adaptation. Therefore, as an important medium of

communication, if movies want to successfully

achieve crosscultural dissemination, they must have a

deep understanding of the cultural background of the

target audience and ensure that the content conforms

to certain characteristics of the culture and the

audience's acceptance level. For example, Chang'an

Chang'an has successfully adapted its story to better

suit the tastes of international audiences in

international dissemination, which is a successful

case of cross-cultural adaptation.

Chang'an Chang'an cleverly combines traditional

Chinese culture with modern internation-al elements

by constructing a crosscultural story framework and

telling a transnational love story between a

Kazakhstani student and a Chinese youth. The film

further deepens cultural integration and innovation,

cleverly integrating the traditional Chinese opera The

Legend of the White Snake into modern love stories,

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using a dual narrative approach that preserves the

essence of Chinese culture while making it easier for

international audiences to accept. In addition, the film

won the Best Feature Film Gold Award at the 30th

Minsk International Film Festival, which not only

affirmed its artistic value but also further enhanced its

international influence. And The Wandering Earth

has resonated globally with its profound universal

values and themes. The film centers around the

concept of "a community with a shared future for

mankind" and showcases the unity and courage of

humanity in the face of disasters. This universal value

that transcends cultural barriers has successfully

moved audiences worldwide (Lai, 2023). At the

technical level, the visual effects and sound design of

the film have reached the international first-class

level, fully demonstrating the strong technical

strength of China's film industry. At the same time,

the film conveys the charm and confidence of

Chinese culture through its unique narrative style and

profound cultural connotations, allowing the world to

see the dual breakthroughs of Chinese cinema in

cultural expression and technological presentation.

The success of these two films lies not only in

their respective cultural innovations and artis-tic

achievements, but also in their ability to transcend

cultural differences, establish emotional connections

with global audiences, and become exemplary works

of crosscultural communication. In crosscultural

communication of movies, the key to success lies in a

pro-found understanding of the target culture. Movies

should not only absorb the essence of local culture,

but also present it in the form of national aesthetic

experience and emotional art. At the same time, it is

necessary to consider the interpretation ability of

audiences from different cultural backgrounds,

ensuring that they can smoothly understand the

content of the film and resonate emotionally. Only in

this way can movies effectively spread between

different cultures and promote cultural exchange and

understanding (Li & Xiong, 2024).

5 THE VISUAL EFFECTS AND

CROSSCULTURAL

COMMUNICATION OF

CHINESE MYTHICAL FILMS

With the support of digital media technology, the

forms of movies have been greatly expanded and

enriched. Visual effects, as an important component

of movies, play a crucial role in attracting audiences

and conveying cultural connotations. The outstanding

visual effects of Chinese mythological films provide

strong support for their crosscultural dissemination.

For example, movies such as Megalodon 2 and Jiang

Ziya have attracted a large number of domestic and

foreign audiences' attention by presenting stunning

visual effects through advanced digital special effects

technology. According to the data provided by

IMDB, overseas users have highly praised the visual

effects of Chinese mythological ani-mated films.

They not only praised the visual presentation of the

film but also recognized the technical aspects of the

production process. The images produced by high-

definition technology can bring a clearer and

smoother viewing experience to the audience, which

to some extent breaks down cultural barriers and

makes Chinese mythological films more easily

accepted by international audiences. However, visual

effects are only one aspect of cross-cultural

communication in movies, and the cultural

connotations and values conveyed in movies are

equally important. In the process of crosscultural

communication, movies need to find a balance

between visual effects and cultural connotations,

attracting audiences through visual effects while

conveying the unique charm of Chinese culture

through cultural connotations.

6 CONCLUSIONS

The increasingly frequent cross-border exchanges in

the film and television industries of various countries

today have led to a highly unbalanced pattern of

import and export trans-actions of film and television

products between countries. Not only does it lead to

an imbalance in cultural dissemination, but it also

profoundly affects the exchange of global film culture

and even the confidence attitude of the people in

countries with cultural trade deficits towards their

own national culture. However, with the support of

digital media technology, the crosscultural

dissemination of Chinese mythological films has

broad prospects. However, to achieve its widespread

dissemination internationally, it is necessary to have

a deep understanding of the theoretical basis of

crosscultural communication, handle cultural

conflicts and adaptation issues properly, and

continuously improve the visual effects of the film.

By enhancing cultural sensitivity, achieving

crosscultural adaptation, and improving visual

effects, Chinese mythological films can better

showcase the unique charm of Chinese culture on the

international stage, promote communication and

Opportunities and Challenges of Crosscultural Communication of Chinese Mythical Films in the Digital Age

515

under-standing between different cultures, and push

Chinese culture toward the world .

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