Online literature growing at Baidu

In the Chinese world of online literature, "god" and "goddess" are mortals - Chinese readers use these terms for their beloved online writers to show their respect for an ability to create many imaginary worlds for the enjoyment of readers.

Much of online literature consists of novels that the authors update daily with new content. Every day, millions of Chinese will refresh their browsers or apps time and time again, just to keep up with the latest daily updates of their favorite reads. This is a unique feature of Chinese online literature, according to Ma Ji, researcher and critic with the Chinese Writers Association.

The number of readers clinging to online literature is so huge that Baidu, one of China's top Internet service providers, has decided on a big move to make the most of it.