A Study on Conceptual Metaphors in the Commentary of the English Promotional Film Encountering Love At West Lake from an Intercultural Perspective

Abstract

In the context of globalization, promotional films are a key tool for cultural diplomacy and soft power projection. This study examines how conceptual metaphors (CMs) in the English promotional film Encountering Love at West Lake facilitate the cross-cultural communication of Chinese cultural narratives. Grounded in Conceptual Metaphor Theory, this research employs textual analysis to identify and classify CMs (e.g., LOVE IS A JOURNEY, WEST LAKE IS A MIRROR) within the film’s commentary. It investigates how these metaphors encode traditional Chinese values such as harmony and perseverance, and how they function from an intercultural perspective to bridge—or occasionally complicate—cultural understanding. The findings reveal that CMs serve as effective cognitive bridges, enhancing emotional resonance and making abstract cultural concepts accessible to international audiences. The study concludes that the strategic use of metaphor is crucial for effective cultural promotion, offering practical implications for the translation and localization of cultural content and contributing to methodologies in intercultural discourse analysis.