Tilburg University Biaoqing on Chinese Social Media Lu, Y. Publication date: 2020 Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication in Tilburg University Research Portal Citation for published version (APA): Lu, Y. (2020). Biaoqing on Chinese Social Media: Practices, products, communities and markets in a knowledge economy . [s.n.]. 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Download date: 06. okt. 2021 Biaoqing on Chinese Social Media Practices, products, communities and markets in a knowledge economy Biaoqing on Chinese Social Media Practices, products, communities and markets in a knowledge economy PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan Tilburg University, op gezag van de rector magnificus, prof. dr. K. Sijtsma, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van een door het college voor promoties aangewezen commissie in de Aula van de Universiteit op woensdag 19 augustus 2020 om 16.30 uur door LU Ying geboren te Hebei, China Promotores: prof. J.M.E. Blommaert prof. J.W.M. Kroon Copromotor: dr. P.K. Varis Overige leden van de promotiecommissie: prof. Li Wei prof. Zhu Hua prof. A.P.C. Swanenberg dr. P. Seargeant dr. Hou Mingyi ISBN 978-94-6375-936-6 Layout and editing by Karin Berkhout, Department of Culture Studies, Tilburg University Printed by Ridderprint BV, the Netherlands © LU Ying, 2020 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any other means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without permission of the author. Preface By the time I decided to pursue a PhD in 2015, I had a research proposal that I was very proud of about emojis on Chinese social media, which was the extension of a small re- search project for a course of sociolinguistics in my MA studies at Peking University. In the process of application for a PhD position, the more universities I checked, the more disheartened I became, because there seemed to be no place for my research in the ‘mainstream’ research paradigms of the majority of PhD programs. The game changer was when I found the Babylon Center for the Study of Superdiversity and the Department of Culture Studies in the School of Humanities and Digital Sciences at Tilburg University. With a wide range of studies not confined to traditional linguistic research paradigms, Babylon and the Department impressed me as the avant-garde in sociolinguistic ethnog- raphy and culture studies in a global and digital perspective. This impression transformed into my application for a PhD position that led to an offer, and this is how I came to Tilburg University and started the research that I was (and still am) interested in but that was (and maybe still is) regarded as marginal or peripheral elsewhere. My PhD research culminated in this thesis: Biaoqing on Chinese social media. Through meticulous digital ethnographic description and analysis of people’s actions with Biaoqing on Chinese social media, it reveals the emergence of a community of knowledge of Biaoqing through and by knowledge products and practices in a knowl- edge economy. What I have been observing in this research are light communities of knowledge omnipresent in a dynamic online-offline nexus, the existence of which invites re-imagination of social facts and re-thinking of ontology, epistemology and meth- odology in sociolinguistics and culture studies in an era of digitalization and globalization. The majority of the four years of study (2015-2019) can be described as peaceful and quiet, interspersed with numerous small achievements such as finishing reading an article, or accomplishing a piece of writing. But there were also some difficulties. A very challenging one was that, my object of study being relatively new and marginal in aca- demic research, currently popular analytical models turned out to be either inapplicable or insufficient for my study. In the process of looking and searching (the final result of which is an ethnographic approach that employs whichever method useful for data col- lection and analysis), there were multiple times when I felt lost and not knowing how to approach Biaoqing. This difficulty led to other challenges, of which the most devastating one was doubting myself and the value of my research. Being trapped in a whirl of doubts (which went on and off for quite a long time), I indulged in novels, YouTube and an unhealthy lifestyle, the consequences of which were vi Biaoqing on Chinese Social Media severe hair loss, acne outbreak, and slow research progress. During these bad patches, my supervisor Piia Varis, whom I frequently pestered with my insecurity and doubt, shared her own PhD research experiences and repeatedly assured me of my abilities and the value of my research. During these bad patches, I assembled my first chapter-like writing that was tolerantly and generously received by my supervisor Jan Blommaert, who warmly and patiently encouraged me not to worry too much but to keep on writing down what I found interesting. It was also during these bad patches that I began to have more com- munication with Sjaak Kroon (who later also became my supervisor) in the process of co- supervising MA students and co-teaching a course for my University Teaching Qualifica- tion. Through our collaboration, Sjaak not only showed me a role model of a disciplined scholar, but also spurred me to be confident. I would never forget what he said when he noticed that I was an apology person: “When you cannot see through a crowd of people, it’s not because you are too short, but because others are too tall. It’s not your fault.” I am more than grateful to the patience, tolerance, encouragement and support that I re- ceive from Jan, Piia and Sjaak. They gave me the motivation and courage to continue my research, and they generously helped me improve as a PhD candidate, develop as a re- searcher, and mature as an individual. I am proud of myself of having accomplished this research and having produced this book, which would not have been possible without the help of people around me. Apart from my supervisors Jan Blommaert, Piia Varis and Sjaak Kroon who provided me with insights and inspirations and gave me meticulous constructive feedback on my thinking and writing, I would like to thank my family who supported my decision to study abroad and never stopped loving me; my boyfriend Radek Ibrom and good friend Gosia Szabla who accompanied and pampered me all along the way, especially in my emotional breakdowns; and my friend Nie Hua who engaged in intensive academic discussion and writing with me. I consider myself very lucky to have a group of friends who have enriched my life: jolly parties and inspirational chattings with Gosia Szabla, Nie Hua, Hou Mingyi, Jin Di, Li Kunming, Zhang Huan, Du Caixia and Tang Xuefei; warm and inspiring chitchats with Pika Colpaert; guilty-pleasure cheese cake gatherings with Ad Backus and Gosia Szabla; and gym challenges with Tang Xuefei. Last but not least, I would like to express my thanks to Karin Berkhout who sacrificed her spare time to help me with the editing of this book. Contents Part I – Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Introduction 3 1.1 Emojis on Chinese social media: Biaoqing and Biaoqingbao 3 1.2 Background: Graphic semiotic resources online 4 1.3 Principles behind this research 6 1.4 Thesis structure 8 Chapter 2 Outlining the approach 9 2.1 Conceptual framework: Chronotope 9 2.1.1 From context to chronotope 9 2.1.2 Vernacular globalization 12 2.1.3 Action-centered perspective 13 2.1.4 Four-step sociolinguistic methodological program 14 2.2 Research approach: Digital ethnography 15 2.2.1 Ethnography 15 2.2.2 Digital ethnography 16 2.3 Research ethics 18 2.4 Summary of data 18 Part II – The knowledge product: Biaoqing 21 Chapter 3 Biaoqing ecology on Chinese social media 23 3.1 Popular facial expressions and figures in Biaoqing 24 3.1.1 Popular facial expressions 24 3.1.2 Popular Biaoqing figures 28 3.2 Characteristics of Biaoqing 35 3.2.1 Méng (cute) 35 3.2.2 Jiàn (lit. cheap; mischievous and insulting) 37 3.2.3 Sàng (decadent) 41 3.2.4 Wū (dirty) 43 3.2.5 Violent 44 3.2.6 Multi-characteristic Biaoqing 45 3.3 Ludic nature of Biaoqing 46 3.4 Discussion and conclusion 47 viii Biaoqing on Chinese Social Media Part III – The community of knowledge of Biaoqing 51 Chapter 4 The formation of the community of knowledge of Biaoqing 53 4.1 Introduction 53 4.2 Biaoqing-making instruction community 1: Bilibili tutorial videos 56 4.2.1 First-level activities 57 4.2.2 Second-level activities 59 4.2.3 Third-level activities 61 4.3 Biaoqing-making instruction community 2: Zhihu discussion thread 63 4.3.1 First-level activities 64 4.3.2 Second-level activities 66 4.3.3 Third-level activities 68 4.3.4