Articles
Internet Novels
Recently, the Chinese literature scene has exploded with a new diversity which is closely related to the emergence in the late 1990s of the Internet novel. The freedoms and accessibility of Internet literature opened the door to a remarkable literary flourishing. In the sprit of punk music, would be writers were able, free from the impositions of public opinion, market place considerations, and the scrutiny of editors, to express themselves as they wish and find a readership.
1999 was the year when the Internet - and online literature - took off in a big way in mainland China. Literature websites like 'Rongshuxia' appeared, offering literary prizes, publishing work from literally thousands of new writers, and recording massive page views. The phrase 'Internet Literature' (Wangluo Wenxue) gained an extensive hearing in the media. In just one month, January 2001, 10 major novels were published online.
The greater freedoms of the Internet allowed Internet writers to explore 'darker' unorthodox themes and experiment stylistically. For example, Wang Xiao Han's essay collection 'Dear Devils' (Qinai de SiGui) dealt with corruption among village cadres, a theme it was hard to find tackled in 'mainstream' literature. Mu Rong Xue Cun's 'Chengdu, Please Forget Me Tonight', (Chengdu, Jin Ye Qing Jiang Wo YiWang) was an analysis of the ugliness of human nature which attracted great attention.
Like many Internet authors, Mu Rong Xue Cun recognized that the theme and style of his novel owed a lot to its mode of publication. He commented that, 'If Chengdu hadn't been an internet novel, then it would have been very difficult to publish. because it goes against literary standards. It certainly wouldn't have been as colourful, or attracted so many people.' Similarly, 'Jin Hezai' , who achieved fame with his book 'Awakening to Emptiness' (Wu Kong Zhuan) said that: ''The Internet allows me to write what's in my heart, my desire. If I was writing for money or to get published, I would never have written 'Awakening to Emptiness.'
Anni Baobei was another writer who demonstrated how the Internet offered opportunities for writers to find celebrity with unparalleled speed. On her emergence in the first half of 1999, her early works like '7 years '(Qi Nian) and 'Goodbye Wei An' (Gaobie Wei An) attracted people with her elegant and controlled style and skill. Other Internet authors who shot to stardom included Mu Rong Xue Cun; Ji Hezai, who was propelled to fame by his book 'Wakening to Emptiness' (Wu Kong Zhuan); and Li Xun Huan.
Certainly it remains to be seen what the long term impact of the Internet on the contemporary Chinese novel will be. However, one of the achievements of Internet literature has been to stimulate a new enthusiasm for literature and broaden the field of participants.