The Influence of Regional Music Courses on International Students’ Perceptions of China’s National Image

Abstract

In recent years, Chinese academia has paid increasing attention to the construction of a national image through cultural representation. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that shaping China’s national image should highlight the profound historical heritage of Chinese civilization. Based on the theory of intersubjectivity and an ethnomethodological approach, this study employs quantitative methods to examine the influence of the regional music course Telling the Story of the Yellow River through Clay Xun Music on international students’ perceptions of China’s national image. The findings reveal the mechanism through which regional music courses contribute to the shaping of China’s national image. The study proposes that distinctive regional music should be presented as a cultural identity marker and communicated to international students in order to reinforce their understanding of Chinese culture, provide them with new intercultural experiences, and meet the practical needs of international student education by helping students better understand China and develop a positive attitude toward the country. In this way, a multidimensional and vivid image of China can be presented.