关键词: 青藏公路；文化符号；中华民族共同体；民族交往交流交融

Abstract: As a landmark project of transportation construction in ethnic minority areas of New China, the cultural symbol of the Qinghai-Xizang highway has deeply reflected the historical context of the construction of the Chinese national community. Based on relevant theories of semiotics, this paper systematically examines the formation background, connotation structure, and functional evolution of the cultural symbol of the Qinghai-Xizang highway, revealing its unique role in promoting ethnic exchanges and integration and strengthening the awareness of the Chinese national community. The research shows that the cultural symbol of the Qinghai-Xizang highway has been elevated from an infrastructure to a spiritual bond through the triple mechanism of “transportation empowerment - economic sharing - cultural identity”, and its development process confirms the essential characteristics of ethnic relations under the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, which are equality, unity, mutual assistance, and harmony. In the new era, the empowerment effect of the Qinghai-Xizang highway on the construction of the Chinese national community should be further released through continuous enrichment of the connotation of its cultural symbol, strengthening of ethnic spiritual identification, and continuous optimization of the economic structure to achieve shared economic interests among ethnic groups and enhance the sense of identity of all ethnic groups with the Chinese national community.

Key words: Qinghai-Xizang highway; cultural symbol; Chinese national community; ethnic exchanges and integration