Topic - Literature on China’s Internet

A: Welcome back to Listeners’ Garden. I’m Li Peichun.

B: And I'm Xiaohua. Peichun, have you heard about a thriller called 鬼吹灯, or “Candle in the Tomb"? It's one of China's best-selling books today.

A: Definitely. You can pick it up in almost every bookstore. But why you mention this book in particular?

B: Because we're going to talk about literature on the Internet in today's topic.

A: I see your point, Xiaohua. The book “Candle in the Tomb” is actually adapted from an online novel.

B: Exactly. The series of books were finally published because of the amazing popularity the work gained on the internet.

A: uh-hum. So, the book's one of the most representative and interesting pieces of literature these days.

B: You know, Peichun, it’s almost hard to believe internet literature has such widespread popularity these days. Two decades ago, no one in China even knew about the internet, let alone internet literature.

A: We've really seen some big changes in twenty years. Now, almost everyone knows about the internet. And internet literature has sprung up as more and more people log on to the web. But, Xiaohua, do you know how we define internet literature?

B: Maybe we should ask an expert. Lu Huawei is in charge of the China Internet Literature Federation, a website that features original literary works.

"There are two definitions of internet literature. The first one is relatively traditional. It refers to the works that are created and published by netizens. And with the internet becoming more influential today, I think even celebrated writers publish their works online. So I think internet literature no longer refers to work created solely by ordinary netizens."

A: Well, the power of internet is incredible, right?

B: It seems that our lives are becoming more and more dependent on it.

A: True. But let's get back on track and look at the history of internet literature in China.

B: uh-hum, Literary websites first appeared in China in the late 1990s, but few people published their writing online back then.

A: Yeah. But as people gradually became more aware of the growing influence of the internet, more and more literary websites have emerged, especially in the past five years.

B: Many have their own fixed writers’ groups and an impressive pool of work.

A: Yes, today’s literary websites are much more than just places where people can publish literary work. They act as a platform for aspiring writers to communicate with each other.

B: Exactly, the China Internet Literature Federation is just such a place. Here is Lu Huawei again.

"The main tasks for us are to create a platform for literature lovers, internet writers and publishing companies. We want to find good works and nurture writers. The final aim is to publish these online works in print."

A: Recently, the China Internet Literature Federation held a nationwide writing competition, which attracted thousands of participants.

B: Yes, lots of us tend to think the internet is mainly used by the younger generation. But, if you take a close look at the competition, you'll be really surprised.

A: Exactly, people aged 15 to 60 submitted entries in the competition. And they work in a range of different occupations across the country.

B: Let's meet one of the participants. Peng Qiaoling, who is now 47. Peng is an English teacher in a small town in Sichuan province in southwestern China.

"My first encounter with the Internet was in 2004. At the beginning, I just surfed around and chatted with my friends. Then I became interested in some articles that I saw on some websites. In 2005, I launched my blog on a literary website and wrote my words on it. I think it's really good to have this kind of platform for literature lovers like me. It has really enriched my life and I have found lots of good friends with similar interests through online writing."

A: The competition also attracted some overseas Chinese.

B: Well, the Internet has a magical ability to minimize distance and bring us all much closer to each other.

A: uh-hum. As the number of online writers increases rapidly, internet literature has become more and more influential. Many believe it has brought a breath of fresh air to traditional literature.

B: Yeah, but at the very beginning, not everyone accepted the concept of internet literature.

A: Yes, especially some scholars. They couldn’t accept internet literature as a type of literature, because of it was created in such an unstructured environment. Internet literature seems to have more freedom, in the topics it covers as well as the language and grammar.

B: True, and sometimes it even goes against the traditional rules of language.

A: Yeah, so lots of people found this new form of literature hard to accept.

B: But, you know, Peichun, as time goes on, internet literature seems to have become a trend. Now, there are thousands of literary websites in China and almost all the big websites have a reading or literature channel.

A: That’s quite obvious. It seems that if you don't keep yourself up-to-date in our information-rich society, you'll soon be left behind.

B: uh-hum. And as the number of internet users grows, some traditional writers have started publishing their work on the internet and interacting with their readers.

A: Well, that’s a big change, right, Xiaohua?

B: Yeah, I believe so. Here's Lu Huawei again to tell us what impact he thinks Internet literature has on the literary tradition.

"I think this question should be divided into two stages. In the first phase, the passing of time will see Internet literature grow. It may diverge from traditional literature because it has fewer limits. It has really shocked the traditional literature community. When it gets onto a normal track, it'll gradually melt into traditional literature and affect it, but also become an indispensable part of it. Though it may lose something in the process, it’ll form new characteristics."

A: Well, as time marches on. I believe Internet culture will continue to grow, whether in terms of Internet literature, blogs, or songs.

B: I agree. It's the fourth medium after the TV, radio, and papers. It may not take over from all the others, but it'll be strong enough to take on an important role in modern society.

A: Ok, so much for our topic this week. Time now for a tea break.

B: We’ll be back in a minute with today’s Chinese idiom. Stay with us.