Analyses of Two Most Common Categories of Chinese Public Service Advertisement and the Reception among Ordinary Chinese People

Abstract: In this paper, the summarized definitions, the history of PSA in both China and abroad as well as related-Chinese background are presented so as to lay a background foundation for the research. The theories of signs and communication in semiotics, as well as the reception theories by Stuart Hall build the theoretical base for the research. Two pieces of Chinese Public Service Advertisements of the most two common categories in the field are analysed through semiotics methods, so as to reach one of the aims of the research, namely the understandings of how signs are used in the creation of these PSA, and what the interpretations of the signs are as well as how they come into being. Another aim of the research is to understand the reception of one of the two PSA among the ordinary Chinese people. The method of focus group interview is used to reach this aim. It has been found out that signs on PSA are created with certain meanings, and the interpretations of the signs can vary depending on the translator's life background. It has also been found out that the PSA can be received differently by people with different background, and that the general group of Chinese people have different readings of government-related PSA, and accepting such PSA is not a common thing, despite the fact that China is a very nationalistic country