Abstract

In this study, the function of “Nanjing Release”, the official new media platform of the Nanjing Municipal Government, is analyzed in the construction of the city image in paroxysmal public emergencies from five aspects (e.g., discourse content, discourse form, discourse subject, stylistic style, and emotional orientation) based on the framework of pragmatic identity and cultural discourse studies. This study suggests that the discourse contents of “Nanjing Release” primarily comprise pandemic notification, pandemic prevention, and control measures, saluting anti-pandemic workers, serving people’s livelihood, government notification and handling, and pandemic-related science knowledge. Moreover, the forms of discourse are classified into single-modal reports and multi-modal reports. The subjects of discourse primarily include government agencies, anti-pandemic workers, new media organizations, public institutions, and virtual characters. The stylistic styles of discourse are divided into deliberative, formal, casual, and serious styles. Furthermore, the affective orientations include neutral reports, positive reports, and negative reports. This study reveals that the government’s WeChat account, “Nanjing Release”, has built an image of a warm, loving, and grateful city fighting against the pandemic in the public health emergency. Afterward, the motivation for the discursive construction of the city image is studied.

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