Despite new media and the shift toward reality, Chinese online literature is rooted in ancient folk literature and fiction of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, the study says.

Chinese online literature has inherited elements of traditional ghost stories, folklore, fiction from the Ming and Qing times, romances of the Mandarin Duck and Butterfly school at the start of the 20th century, and melodramatic novels from Hong Kong and Taiwan in recent decades.

However, it has a broader vision, because it has married elements from Japanese anime, Hollywood fantasy, and detective stories from Europe and Japan, say researchers in a paper published in Modern Chinese Literature Studies in 2015.

Popular online novels in 2021 display a trendy combination of traditional culture and modern spirit. For example, Zhenyao Bowuguan (The Museum Where the Devils Are Sealed) incorporates devils and ghosts from Soushenji (In Search of Supernatural), Shanhaijing (The Classic of Mountains and Seas) and Liaozhaizhiyi (Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio), while telling the stories in a modern context.

Another trend is the combination of personal struggles with national construction. For instance, Dizhangnyu Ta Youmei Yousa (The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Spirited) features a group of tough and accomplished women in a family and patriotic characters, calling for younger readers to care about the destiny of the country.