A Study on Cultural Representation in Local Chinese Textbooks: A Case Study of Across the Silk Road 2 and Everyday Chinese 3 & 4

Culture plays a crucial role in the design of locally developed Chinese language textbooks, raising important pedagogical questions regarding which cultures should be included, whose cultures are represented, and how these cultural elements are integrated. This study examines cultural representation in two localized Chinese textbooks: Across the Silk Road 2 (United Arab Emirates) and Everyday Chinese: Chinese Language Textbook for Thai Secondary Schools 3 & 4 (Thailand). Employing content analysis, the study systematically encodes and quantifies both the types and presentation patterns of cultural content. The findings reveal four major patterns: (1) a marked imbalance in cultural representation, with a predominant focus on the target language culture-especially contemporary Chinese culture-while local culture is marginally included and global culture is rarely addressed; (2) cultural content remains largely knowledge-oriented, lacking the depth necessary to foster critical reflection among learners; (3) the target language culture is typically presented in fixed textbook sections, whereas local culture appears in a fragmented and dispersed manner; and (4) intercultural comparisons between the target culture and local culture are present but limited in scope. Based on these findings, the study offers practical recommendations for the integration and design of cultural content in future locally compiled Chinese textbooks.