Gestural Language Across Cultures: A Comparative Study of China and Italy in the Era of the New Media

This thesis investigates the evolution, cultural significance, and intercultural transmission of hand gestures in the age of new media, with a particular focus on Chinese and Italian contexts. Drawing on cultural traditions rooted in Ancient Rome and Confucian values, the study compares the expressive and emotionally charged gestures common in Italian communication with the more restrained and ritualized gestures typical of Chinese culture. Through a qualitative case study approach, gesture-related content on platforms such as TikTok and Douyin—including the “Dunhuang Flying Apsaras Gesture Challenge”—is analyzed to explore how social media facilitates the global dissemination, reinterpretation, and hybridization of culturally specific gestures. The findings reveal that digital gestures are increasingly shaped by algorithmic trends, user participation, and the pursuit of cultural visibility, often resulting in both innovation and miscommunication. In this process, traditional gestures are not only preserved but also recontextualized and transformed into visual symbols that transcend linguistic boundaries. The thesis highlights the importance of cultural sensitivity and gesture literacy in navigating cross-cultural interactions and proposes that gestures can serve as powerful tools for fostering mutual understanding in digitally mediated global exchanges. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of nonverbal communication and offers practical insights into enhancing intercultural dialogue in the interconnected world of new media.