Online literature continued to grow rapidly in China in 2025, enriching Chinese literary expressions, expanding its boundaries and further cementing its role as a cultural force.
"It has become an indispensable force in building a culturally strong nation," said Mao Guangcheng, secretary of the Secretariat of the China Writers Association, on Thursday during the opening ceremony of the 2026 China Online Literature Forum in Hefei, the capital of Anhui province.
Last year, China's online literature industry generated approximately 49 billion yuan ($7.3 billion) in revenue, up from 44 billion yuan in 2024, according to the 2025 China Online Literature Blue Book, which was released at the event.
The data also showed that around 100 long dramas, 90 animations and 450 comics were adapted from online literature in 2025. Furthermore, about 9,000 new micro-dramas were authorized, showing year-on-year growth of 463 percent.
He Hong, director of the Online Literature Center of the China Writers Association, who announced the blue book, said that new formats such as artificial intelligence-generated comic dramas are emerging, significantly influencing content production and copyright operation models.
Data from 50 major online literature platforms shows that in 2025, about 2.85 million new authors registered and around 220,000 new authors signed contracts. By the end of the year, the total number of online literary works exceeded 33 million. Nearly 2 million works were categorized under realism, with about 140,000 additions that year. Science fiction saw a total of nearly 2.3 million works, with around 190,000 new entries, according to the blue book.
Chinese online literature also continued to grow in the overseas market in 2025. By the end of the year, China had exported over 130,000 online literary works overseas. In comparison, about 40,000 works were translated and shared globally in 2024. There are now approximately 250 million registered overseas users, with 40 million joining last year, compared with 30 million in 2024. These active users span over 200 countries and regions.
Overseas platforms for online literature and related micro-dramas have 60 million daily active users, and overseas revenue has exceeded 8 billion yuan, including earnings from micro-drama businesses. The market is growing in multiple directions and competition is intensifying, according to the blue book.
yangyangs@chinadaily.com.cn
