Abstract: Journal covers are usually the kind of multimodal discourses combining images and text symbols, which play active roles in the construction and communication of national images. Based on the framework of visual grammar theory, this paper conducts a meaning analysis of multimodal symbols of technology-themed front covers of Beijing Review published from 2012 to 2021, and examines the visual framing of image symbols, so as to reveal the meaning presentation and construction of China’s technological images with the integration of linguistic texts. The result shows that the technology-themed front covers of Beijing Review mainly employ three kinds of visual frameworks including innovation, driving and empowerment. Through the three meta-meanings of representation, interaction and composition in visual grammar, the front covers present the real scenes of China’s technological images, innovate the visual symbols for the international communication of China’s technological images, and construct the technological images of China in harmony with the era.

Key words: visual grammar, national image, front cover, Beijing Review