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 and long-awaited release of Eileen Chang's last novel Little Reunion 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).

Chen, who is also the author of Major Trends of Contemporary Chinese Literature, believes writers will face difficulties in paving new stylistic inroads.

But he expects established writers will pen works demonstrating a greater refinement of their individual styles.

"The so-called post-1980s writers are entering their 30s," Chen says. "Hopefully, they will create weightier works."

Chen believes Chinese literature is in a transitional stage that will last for a few years, during which the overall quality of the country's fiction will improve.

Zhang Yiwu, also a literary critic and Beida professor, expects traditional writers to present more major works next year.

"Novels still drive the book market," he says.

"Novelists are the writers who are appealing to the public and motivating sales. Three genre territories are taking shape on China's literary map-traditional, online and teen."

Chen also expects online literature, which already has a faithful readership, to grow in 2010. Powerful companies are expanding the genre by hosting writing contests, enabling new talent to flourish, he says.

But Beijing-based writer, critic and author of The Kitchen Xu Kun voices concern about fiction's move online. "It worries me that mouse clicks seem to herald the death knell of physical books," she says.

But she remains optimistic about literature's growth next year, mostly because of the economic recovery.

Chinese Academy of Social Sciences literary researcher Chen Fumin says literature should be examined within the comprehensive social and historical context, such as the boom in the field in the 1980s.

"But peering into the future requires clarifying standards of judgment because of the changing context in which literary works are produced," Chen says.

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