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Chinese web fiction has been called one of the three great East Asian cultural exports of our time, along with Japanese manga (comics) and Korean soap operas. Despite its huge popularity, this type of literature has, until recently, attracted little attention from scholars and academics. 

Thanks to one dedicated professor, ɬ�﷬ students are gaining valuable insight into an art form that has had an impact on people across the globe.

In spring 2025, Professor of Chinese and Japanese Jin Feng developed a ɬ�﷬ course titled A Good (Chinese) Story. She believes it is one of the only stand-alone courses devoted to Chinese internet fiction in North America.

Born Digital 

Feng, who is also the Orville and Mary Patterson Routt Professor of Literature, says that students in the course read materials that were “born digital,” meaning that they appeared on the internet but not in print. 

These serialized Chinese web novels can take years to complete and may include millions of words. Why so long? The boundaries between these authors and their readers can blur, Feng explains. As writers post new chapters of their work, they consider the feedback of fans and commenters, adjusting as they go forward. 

“Web readers comment on each chapter, and authors sometimes change their plots and characterization, hoping to monetize and attract and retain followers.” In addition, political forces (censorship) and economic forces (market incentives) also play a role in the creation, themes, and consumption of web fiction.

A Different Kind of Literature Class

Each student brought a different level of experience with Chinese web novels to the class, but all were engaged and passionate, Feng says. Along with reading assignments and class discussions, they kept “journal logs” that were posted online to help break down information silos and share ideas and knowledge with others in the class.

In class, they discussed popular themes, literary devices, and (sub)genres of Chinese web fiction, including matriarchal novels, cultivation tales, fan fiction, and male-male romance called danmei. The class also explored issues such as gender, the ethics of authorship and translation, and cultural exchange.

More than a Good Story

Feng also assigned creative projects such as video essays. With tutorials and technical support from Digital Liberal Arts Collaborative specialists Morris Pelzeland Tierney Steelberg, the students worked together to create four group websites. The websites explore the online and offline mechanisms of Chinese web fiction that not only make a good story but also facilitate cross-cultural engagement beyond national and linguistic borders. .