Writer Zhao Benfu [Photo provided to China Daily]

"It's not only about drawing attention to the theme. It's about how to think, how to process and to really understand the times we are living in," Bai says. "So, I'm concerned if writers pass off 'secondhand news' as reality, or if they're really writing from their own experience."

In the realm of so-called serious literature, Chinese writers publish more than 5,000 novels a year, Bai says.

Bai noticed more works of maturity and depth coming through from writers born in the 1970s last year, whereas works by writers born in the 1980s seem to have made less progress. To that peer critic Meng Fanhua says the '70s group has self-consciously begun to examine social conflict and spiritual struggle as major topics for discussion.

"It's not easy, but they're willing to try, which means they're becoming mature," Meng says.

Meng has strengthened the ties between past and present: "People view history based on their opinion of the present. So, sometimes we say historical novels are about reality, too."