The Generation Mechanism from “Pu’er Image” to “Consciousness of a Community with a Shared Future” from the Perspective of Place Attachment

International students’ understanding and internalization of the grand concept of a “Community with a Shared Future for Mankind” are not derived solely from classroom instruction or official publicity; rather, they emerge gradually through everyday encounters with the cultural, social, and ecological dimensions of their host city. However, existing research has paid little attention to the theoretical linkage between “place experience” and “macro-narratives.” Taking Pu’er City in Yunnan Province and its international students from South and Southeast Asia as empirical references, this paper introduces place attachment theory to construct a three-tier explanatory framework that moves from “place image perception” to “consciousness of a community with a shared future.” The framework proposes that such consciousness is not a direct import of abstract ideals; instead, it is formed through multiple pathways of place attachment—cognitive image, emotional experience, and functional dependence—which enable students to embody and recognize the geo-symbiotic, empathetic, and functionally interdependent dimensions of the shared-future vision. This study offers a new theoretical perspective for understanding how macro-ideals are realized at the micro-level, and provides scholarly support for border cities to foster a community with a shared future through international student education.