The Growth Trajectory and Contributing Factors of Chinese Online Literature under the Influence of Internet Technology

Abstract

This study examines the three-decade evolution of Chinese online literature and its phased development in international influence, analyzing the transformative path of literary forms driven by Internet technology. Employing methodologies such as historical analysis, data examination, and case studies, this research conducts an in-depth investigation into the growth path and causative factors of Chinese online literature. It clearly posits that: 1) Technological innovation in the Internet realm serves as the core driver, continuously propelling, iterating, and restructuring the production methods and dissemination models of Chinese online literature; 2) The industrial model of Chinese online literature has transitioned from free reading to a paid + full-chain IP development model, ultimately forming a closed-loop ecosystem encompassing creation, operation, and derivative development; 3) International dissemination has progressed from content export to model export, and further to global co-creation of IP; 4) The "Z Generation" is driving content refinement and mainstream integration, with an increasing proportion of realistic themes, and works incorporating national sentiment and cultural confidence. Consequently, this study concludes that Chinese online literature has accomplished the transition from the periphery to the mainstream, and from a local Chinese context to a global stage.