introduction

Introduced the lofty status of Bao Zheng in Chinese history and the dissemination of his image in different cultural forms. Bao Zheng, also known as "Bao Qingtian", is deeply rooted in people's hearts with his image of justice and wisdom. His story is widely spread in opera, novels, and folk stories. Works such as "Seven Heroes and Five Gallants" further enriched the image of Bao Zheng. Modern film and television works, as well as tourist attractions such as Kaifeng Prefecture and Baogong Temple, have also made "Bao Qingtian" an important symbol of Chinese culture. In 2010, French screenwriter Patrick Marti adapted the story of Bao Zheng into a comic book titled "The Legend of Bao Zheng: The Jade Phoenix Hairpin", illustrated by Chinese illustrator Nie Chongrui and published by French publisher "Fei". This comic was exhibited at the Angoul ê me Comics Festival in France and quickly gained popularity among French readers, with sales exceeding 10000 copies. The success of comics lies in their cross media narrative and dissemination, as well as the combination of Chinese historical character stories with Western suspense film elements, while retaining Chinese style illustrations, providing French readers with novel visual experiences. The research focuses on the storyline, character images, and aesthetic style of comics, exploring the cross-cultural dissemination mechanism of the "Bao Qingtian" image in France, and providing reference for the international promotion of traditional Chinese culture.

1、 Overview of Static Image Narrative Theory: Spatiotemporal Relationships and Symbolic Representation

In depth exploration of cross media narrative theory, particularly the application of static image narrative in comics. Henry Jenkins proposed the concept of cross media storytelling, emphasizing the unfolding of stories on different media platforms. Comics, as a form of static image narrative, construct a story world through symbolic techniques and textual elements. The research of Roger Sabine and Tielie Granstein further elucidates the status of comics as an independent art medium, as well as the sequential and temporal relationships of visual storytelling. The difference between comics and comic strips is that comics emphasize the narrative function of images, while comic strips are dominated by textual narration. As a case study, 'The Legend of Bao Zheng: The Jade Phoenix Hairpin' demonstrates how comics use grid division, visual layout, and detailed close ups to drive narrative. Among them, the jade phoenix hairpin serves as a key object, and its close ups and symbolic meanings play a crucial role in the reasoning of the case.

2、 Story adaptation: incorporating elements of Western suspense movies

Dutch sinologist Gao Luopei pointed out in his translation of "The Case of Duke Di: The Four Great Mysteries of Wu Zetian" that the supernatural phenomena in traditional Chinese detective stories do not match the realistic preferences of Western readers. Chinese detective stories tend to directly introduce the background of the criminals, while Western readers prefer suspense and puzzle solving. The story of Bao Zheng is deeply rooted in Chinese people's hearts and closely related to the culture of clean officials, but it is relatively unfamiliar in France. When French film and television director Patrick Matty adapted the story of Bao Zheng, he abandoned supernatural plots and supernatural characters, retained martial arts elements, and incorporated the narrative mode of modern European and American suspense detective films. He emphasized the two narrative lines of corruption in the officialdom and individual crime by the general public to attract French audiences. The opening of "The Legend of Bao Zheng: The Jade Phoenix Hairpin" establishes a crime suspense, deconstructing the crime mystery through physical and psychological evidence, while using dual gameplay methods to add subplots to enrich character images and reveal social phenomena. The adapter, from the perspective of French readers, considers the readability and attractiveness of the story plot, making "The Legend of Bao Zheng: The Jade Phoenix Hairpin" not just a simple rewriting of Chinese folk stories.

3、 Character image construction: close to life, highlighting personality traits

In French cross media narrative, the construction of Bao Zheng's image is close to life and highlights his personality traits. Cartoonist Patrick Marty referred to Chinese historical records and folk stories in shaping Bao Zheng, abandoning the symbolic black face image and retaining the crescent shaped forehead, making his personality more humane. The adapted Bao Zheng has a small fetish for drinking, eating meat, and reciting poetry, a sense of humor, while maintaining integrity and an aversion to corruption. He not only interrogated the prisoners in court, but also took the initiative to understand the suffering of the people, forming a case solving team with Zhan Zhao and Gong Sunce, which is in line with the classic combination in Western detective novels. Patrick Marty successfully shaped Zhan Zhao's tall, handsome, and martial arts superior image, enabling him to undertake emotional tasks. He did not cater to French readers, but instead allowed them to experience the ancient Chinese cultural atmosphere, avoiding the vicious circle of "Chinese Sherlock Holmes" and immersing them in the life oriented Song society.

4、 Aesthetic style shaping: highlighting details and creating a mysterious atmosphere

Explored the aesthetic style shaping of the cross media narrative and dissemination of the comic book "The Legend of Bao Zheng: The Jade Phoenix Hairpin" in France. The comic adopts an internally focused narrative perspective, using close-up shots and montage techniques to stimulate readers' imagination. The painting style of Chinese painter Nie Chongrui is unique, combining black and white tones with the characteristics of meticulous painting and woodcut printing, which has recognition. In terms of scene depiction, Nie Chongrui pays attention to the restoration of Song Dynasty architecture and living scenes, creating an atmosphere by switching between distant and close shots. In terms of character close ups, Nie Chongrui was influenced by Patrick Marty and meticulously depicted Bao Zheng's expressions and behaviors, showcasing his authority and humanistic traits. The layout of storyboards and character positioning guide the visual focus, drive the pace of the story, and render tense emotions.

conclusion

In France, comics are deeply loved by readers of all ages as the "ninth art" and have become an important tool for cultural enlightenment and entertainment. The "Fei" publishing house founded by Xu Gefei focuses on Chinese themed comics and has successfully promoted the "Legend of Bao Zheng" series to the international market through cooperation with French national television. The comic adaptation of "The Legend of Bao Zheng: The Jade Phoenix Hairpin" not only achieved success in France, but also provided a new way for the overseas dissemination of other Chinese stories. Cartoonists Patrick Marti and Nie Chongrui carefully crafted the image of Bao Zheng while respecting historical facts, emphasizing character realism and scene details, presenting a refined visual experience with Song Dynasty characteristics to French readers. This indicates that cross-cultural and cross media communication requires creators to respect culture and strive for excellence to ensure that classic works continue to shine in foreign cultures.