This study examines the symbolic construction of national image through six Summer Olympic emblems (2000–2020). Grounded in visual semiotics, cross-cultural communication, and nation branding theory, it develops a three-level framework—representation, semantics, and communication—and employs interpretive visual analysis and thick description. The findings reveal a shared strategy across emblems: cultural condensation, emotional activation, political encoding, and global adaptability. Variations arise in symbolic depth, narrative orientation, and intercultural tactics. Over time, emblem design has evolved from traditional symbolism to multimodal storytelling and from one-way projection to negotiated meaning. As visual symbols of national identity, Olympic emblems now function as strategic tools of soft power and cultural discourse in a globalized media ecology.