UC Davis

Lu Xun 鲁迅 (1881–1936), a prominent Chinese writer, holds a significant place in the annals of modern Chinese literature and pro-democracy movements due to his notable contributions. Consequently, his visual representations have been continuously reimagined by various groups for diverse purposes, making him a celebrated paragon in modern Chinese art. In the post-2010 era of Chinese social media, Lu Xun-themed memes created by Chinese youth gained popularity, leading to the emergence of Lu Xun-themed cultural creative commodities. These cultural creative commodities transitioned into tangible art pieces through traditional art institutions, indicating the Chinese youth’s fascination with reimagining Lu Xun’s visual representations on social media platforms and generating a cycle of virtual and physical depictions. Previous studies have primarily focused on textual exchanges among internet users, neglecting the widespread artistic representations of Lu Xun-themed on Chinese social media platforms and the reason behind their creation and appeal among young audiences. In this thesis, I argue the contemporary societal challenges faced by Chinese youth with Lu Xun’s new visual representations as a powerful social commentary in the internet age.