ABSTRACT
The symbolic meaning of "Kwan-yin with One Thousand Hands" lies in the fact that it presents, by means of the metalanguage mechanism, a persuasive picture of the harmonious and happy life of contemporary Chinese people. In the construction and communication of the national image, the use of artistic symbols, aided by metalanguage mechanism, is more effective in evoking understanding and sympathy and producing emotional resonance in the audience. By taking advantage of metalanguage's communication mechanism and logical extension, the Gala conveys to the rest of the world a full picture about Chinese people's harmonious and happy life. Via metalanguage's communication mechanism, the tragedy of Wang Yue, on a very broad scale, projected another side of the contemporary Chinese society and the incident itself became a glaring symbol for the moral apathy of the Chinese people. The communicative power emanating from the metalanguage mechanism deserves our serious attention.
