Time Line
1980s: Only a few dozen new novels are published each year.
1982: The Chinese Writers' Association establishes Mao Dun Literary Prize. The prize is conferred every four years to encourage creative novels.
1993: More than 300 new novels are released.
1997: The Chinese Writers' Association launches the Lu Xun Literary Prize, which is awarded every two years to novellas, short stories, essays, poetry and translated literature.
1998: Mengya Magazine initiates the New Concept Writing Competition, which is open annually to writers under 30 years old. Many post-80s generation writers emerge from this competition.
2000: More than 1,000 new novels are released. Ten writers and 10 literary works are selected by 100 literary critics as the most influential during the 1990s. The writers are: Chen Zhongshi, Han Shaogong, Jia Pingwa, Mo Yan, Shi Tiesheng (1951-2010), Wang Anyi, Yu Hua, Yu Qiuyu, Zhang Chengzhi and Zhang Wei. The works are: White Deer Plain, A Dictionary of Maqiao, The Temple of Earth and I, Notes on Principles, The Song of Everlasting Sorrow, Chronicle of a Blood Merchant, To Live, A Bitter Journey through History, History of the Soul and September's Fable.
2006: Writer Tie Ning is elected the third chairperson of The Chinese Writers' Association, after Mao Dun (1896-1981) and Ba Jin (1904-2005).
2010: More than 3,000 new novels are released.
(China Daily 06/01/2011 page38)
