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arXiv · 2610.35762

The Evolution and 'Chineseness' of Urban Screens in China: From Propaganda Posters to Smart City Interfaces

Wuwu Ran
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Abstract

Urban screens have become a global feature of the media city, yet their developmental paths are not universal. This paper argues that the evolution of urban screens in China constitutes a distinct paradigm of media urbanism, termed Chineseness, understood here not as cultural essence but as a relational, historically situated configuration of three linked elements: deep-rooted lineages of public communication; state-steered technological leapfrogging driven by industrial policy and mega-events; and a regulatory paradox that enables spectacular scale while tightening operational control. Drawing on a five-stage genealogy (1990-present), a chronology of representative screens, and five paradigmatic cases, the study shows how this configuration produces temporal-spatial compression, the coexistence of multiple technological generations, and privileges collective witnessing over device-centric interactivity. The paper contributes a documented genealogy of Chinese urban screens, develops temporal-spatial compression and collective witnessing as analytical tools for non-Western media ecologies, and positions Chineseness as a globally relevant alternative to market-led models of media architecture.

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Wuwu Ran. 2026-10-26. The Evolution and 'Chineseness' of Urban Screens in China: From Propaganda Posters to Smart City Interfaces. https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.35762

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