British Library adds Chinese online novels to collection

Another novel on the list, Good Spring Time, focuses on Chinese porcelain culture, conveying a spirit that encourages people to fight against fate sedulously, and depicts women's independence, as well as the love and care among family members. Readers can see a splendid, elegant China through the tradition, romance, friendship, struggles and beauty described in the novel.

In The First Order, the author Huishuohuadezhouzi (online pen name) presents a wasteland, in which Chinese people do not give up their principals and, despite material shortage, they live an optimistic life. "I want to present the perseverance and resilience of Chinese people. If there is only a small ray of hope, we will survive and live on," the author says.

Great Power, Heavy Industry tells of how China's manufacturing industries have grown stronger in recent decades, and foreign readers can learn about the Chinese system and culture behind the country's swift economic development, getting to know China better in the process, the author, whose online pen name is Qicheng, says.

In recent years, Chinese online literature has attracted an increasing number of readers from overseas. One of the largest online literature platforms, China Literature Group has authorized the digital and print copyrights of more than 800 online novels to overseas markets.

China Literature's international portal Webnovel, established in 2017, has seen nearly 100 million readers access its library of more than 2,600 translated works. Additionally, more than 300,000 writers from around the world have created over 420,000 original works online.

The online novels, such as Qing Yu Nian (Joy of Life), Tiansheng Changge (The Rise of Phoenixes) and Quan Zhi Gaoshou (The King's Avatar), and their TV drama adaptations are popular among overseas audiences.