Writing a new page in contemporary fiction

The absence of hard-hitting works by heavyweight writers made 2008 a "light year" for Chinese fiction.

But these dynamos staged a dramatic return to the fore this year, with authors, such as Mo Yan, Su Tong, Alai and Liu Zhenyun, publishing important new novels. And the re-publication of Jia Pingwa's Ruined Capital (废都) and long-awaited release of Eileen Chang's last novel Little Reunion (小团圆) made great contributions to this year's body of fiction.

As the New Year approaches, literary pundits are pondering the possibilities of 2010. "Next year's literary trend will be a lack of trends," says Chen Xiaoming, a critic and literature professor at Peking University (Beida).