Semiotic Fracturing of Rural Cultural Symbols in Short Video Ecosystems: A Critical Discourse Analysis of “Tǔ Wèi” Labeling and Cultural Subjectivity Construction

Abstract

This study interrogates the semiotic destabilization of rural cultural symbols in China’s burgeoning short video sphere, with particular focus on the discursive reconstruction of “tǔ wèi” labeling. This paper, through semantic tracing and content analysis, combined with empirical data from over 130,000 “tǔ wèi” videos on Douyin (Tik Tok), categorizes the “tǔ wèi” content into two major styles: the novelty-hunting and ugliness-seeking style and the rural original ecological style. It also compares the differences in popularity, quality, and value orientation between the two. The research finds that the semantic segmentation of the “tǔ wèi” label is rooted in clash of civilizations and the urban–rural dichotomy, as well as the promotion of the traffic logic and symbol abuse of short video platforms. This segmentation has exacerbated the stigmatization of Chinese farming culture and weakened cultural confidence. It is suggested that efforts should be made from three aspects: deep exploration of indigenous “tǔ” cultural resources, optimization of algorithm recommendation mechanisms, and reconstruction of discourse contexts, to promote the semantic return of the “tǔ wèi” label and consolidate cultural subjectivity.