Chinese online literature goes to world
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E-mail CRIENGLISH.com, December 16, 2016
Despite huge cultural gaps, Chinese online literature, especially fantasy novels featuring martial arts and magical powers, has created a reading frenzy among foreign readers, Xinhua News Agency reports.
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"I shall seal the heavens", one of the fantasy novels published on wuxiaworld.com. [File photo] |
Fascinated by the cultural elements contained in Chinese web novels and their imaginative plots, many foreigners have spontaneously begun to translate these works, exchange translating experiences and discussing plots. Some even started learning Chinese or writing their own fantastic works inspired by popular genres of Chinese web novels.
Wuxiaworld.com is the largest Chinese web novel translation forum in the world. Founded in December 2014, the forum has completed translation of seven Chinese web novels. The translations of 22 other novels are ongoing.
As of last month, the forum had been ranked 1,536th in the world website ranking list with daily page views of 3.62 million. Almost one third of its readers are from the United States, and others are mainly from Philippines, Indonesia, Canada and Germany.
Lai Jingping, founder of Wuxiaworld, said compared to western works, Chinese fantasy novels are based on rich Chinese culture, history and myths. The unique Chinese concepts in these novels are very fresh and attractive to western readers, said Lai.
He Mingxing, an expert on Chinese culture's overseas promotion, said Chinese online literature is more diverse in genres and subjects than pure literature, and offers readers easier access to entertainment. The creativity and diversity of Chinese online literature makes it easier to attract readers from different countries and regions, said He.
However, such popularity has also brought copyright problems.
Tong Zhilei, chief of renowned Chinese online literature website chineseall.com, said with the increase of market value of online literature, piracy means huge losses, as web novels can be adapted into a series of productions such as games, films and TV dramas.
"Almost all the novels translated by foreign netizens are unauthorized," said Tong. "Of course we are happy to see foreigners liking Chinese online literature. However, it is an international regulation to use the works only after receiving permission." Tong said his company is communicating with foreign websites to make their efforts legal.
This is also what Lai wants. He moved back to China last year, seeking a chance to cooperate with Chinese web novel platforms as the copyrights of the web novels belong to the platforms, People's Daily Online reports.
Wuxiaworld recently embarked on a cooperation project with Qidian.com, the first Chinese online literature website, following an early contract with 17k.com, a website affiliated to chineseall.com.
In addition to authorizing foreign websites, some Chinese online literature platforms have also entered the foreign market themselves.
Chineseall.com, with 5 to 10 percent of its users from overseas, set up its American and European subsidiaries earlier this year.
Although currently the payment from foreign readers is not much, it increases rapidly, said Tong.
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