For people who are interested in letter writing, traditional letters offer a special, romantic experience of waiting for something important, something that digital tools deprive them of. [Photo provided to China Daily]

On the website of Douban are dozens of such interest groups, some with thousands of members and with long threads of topics related to the art and practice of handwriting.

The topics are often started by individuals willing to receive traditional letters from strangers, with their street addresses provided. Others compare their experiences, including the excitement of receiving a special letter or unusual personal stories from the "age of correspondence".

Some of the many topics continue to draw responses even years after the contribution that got the discussion going.

On other platforms such as Sina Weibo, a large online social platform in China, interest groups, people interested in letter writing can chat with one another and share ideas. This includes participants displaying pictures of letters received in bygone years and talking of the memories they have related to them.