An expression form of urban cultural image through TikTok in Xi’an city, China

Driven by the continuous advancement of information technology, new media information is showing a rich, highly interactive development trend and is highly favoured in various communication activities. The cultural image of a city, as an important component, has received close attention. New media serves as a crucial means of disseminating a city's cultural image; it not only promotes people's understanding of traditional culture but also significantly contributes to the formation and enhancement of the city's image, creating opportunities for the city's emerging development. TikTok, China's largest short-video platform, has over 400 million daily active users, and its overseas versions cover more than 150 countries and regions worldwide. It has a huge influence in the new media field. This article takes TikTok as an example to analyse its manifestation in the urban cultural image deeply. Researchers conducted their studies using literature reviews, case analyses, and qualitative analyses. After exploring the traditional culture of Xi 'an, they summarised and analysed the generated data, and through comparison and discussion, explored the dissemination mode of TikTok and the cultural image of Xi'an City. The visual design expression form of TikTok in the cultural image of Xi'an City; The role of TikTok in the dissemination of Xi'an's urban cultural image. After discussion, it was concluded that the systematic analysis of TikTok’s manifestations in Xi'an's urban cultural image has effectively promoted the development of the city's cultural image by stimulating user creation, enhancing visual experience, and increasing a sense of participation.