Highlights
By Zhu Jingning, Feng Zihan
What stories can be unfolded between online literature and the Asian Games in a city like Hangzhou?
The 2023 China International Online Literature Week turns out an answer. The event will take place from May 26 to 30 at the Baima Lake Jianguo Hotel and Baima Lake International Expo Center in Binjiang district, hosted by the China Writers' Association and the Governments of Zhejiang province and Hangzhou city.
Online literature has rapidly become a significant cultural port for China, gaining numerous readers worldwide. During the Week, various forums will be held, with the release of the report on the "Spread of the Chinese Online Literature in Asia" as a highlight.
The Online Literature Industry Expo with 26 exhibition booths showcasing various sectors of the thriving Chinese online literature industry as an integral part of this event is open to the public from May 27 to 29 with free admissions. The first part focuses on inviting online writers to hold book signing activities offline to create an opportunity for their readers to communicate with them face-to-face.
Readers may have a try of the Asian Games esports game "Dream Three Kingdoms 2" on the Expo. At the same time, Wang Jinkang and Jiang Bo, who have adapted their works from online literature for exhibitions and exchanges, will show up at the time. Considering the popularity of the collaboration between Hanfu and IP dramas, the Hanfu runway shows will feature co-productions of the IP adaptations of online literature and Hanfu, which will be performed on stage and at the venue.
The Expo also offers chances to immerse readers in the real person Script Murder games. Moreover, some renowned voice actors are invited to perform IP works adapted from those online to interpret the online literature via their beautiful voices.
The above activities are centered on the source of online literature IP to deepen the interaction between online writers, related works and the public, especially the Generation Z readers.
The Expo will see six online literature writers living in Hangzhou, namely, Xu Lei, Guan Pingchao, Lu Qi, Diufengzi, Chen Qiong and He Kan to share their stories about Hangzhou, the Asian Games and sports through a series of short videos about their personal and creative experiences.
Xu Lei, better known by his pen-name Nan Pai San Shu, said it was the yearning for the beautiful city of Hangzhou that led him to pursue his university education here in Hangzhou. The setting of his representative work Daomu Biji (or literally Grave Robbers' Chronicles in English) also started from here. "In fact, you can achieve a lot of things you aspire in Hangzhou. The abundance of talent and government support is sufficient to drive you forward," said he.