Research Question
How does cultural distance shape the overseas reception of Chinese danmei cultural products?
Using Heaven Official’s Blessing as a case study, we collected 204 valid responses on audience acceptance and 164 valid responses for cultural-dimension measures. The surveys used purposive sampling through Instagram, X, and Facebook in November and December 2024.
We used Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions and Euclidean distance to compare the survey-derived cultural profiles of China and seven other countries. Two interview groups with six audience participants in total explored shared themes and artistic appeal.
Findings and scope
Within these samples, audiences in countries with smaller measured cultural distances from China tended to report greater acceptance. Interviews also highlighted shared themes, music, and character aesthetics. These are exploratory findings from selected audiences and one cultural product; the samples do not represent national populations or establish that cultural distance causes acceptance.
