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

摘要： 青藏公路作为新中国成立后民族地区交通建设的标志性工程，其文化符号的形成与演化深刻体现了推进中华民族共同体建设的历史脉络。基于符号学相关理论，系统考察青藏公路文化符号的形成背景、内涵结构及功能演变，有助于揭示该符号在促进民族交往交流交融、铸牢中华民族共同体意识中的独特作用。青藏公路文化符号通过“交通赋能—经济共享—文化认同”的三重机制，实现从基础设施到精神纽带的升华，发展历程印证了中国特色社会主义制度下民族关系“平等、团结、互助、和谐”的本质特征。新时期应通过不断丰富青藏公路文化符号内涵与强化民族精神标识、持续优化经济结构，实现民族经济利益共享、增强各民族对中华民族共同体的认同感，进一步释放对推进中华民族共同体建设的效应。

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