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ut of anger and fear, gay erot- I think the penalties are certainly
ica fiction writer who pub-
Olishes under the pen name Ni overwhelming and the laws should be
Xiaoyu has deleted all her work after
learning more than 50 other writers reviewed.
who used to post their stories on Hai-
tang, a fiction website, have been ar- It is ridiculous to discuss laws and pen-
rested. alties when there is no rating system

“I’m very furious about the arrest. I about literary work in mainland China
don’t think writing gay erotica fiction
should be outlawed. Our work does
not do any harm to anybody,” Ni says. experience writing gay fiction, says. name Yuan Shang Bai Yun Jian. She
was sentenced to four years and six
“Since the censorship in Mainland months’ imprisonment with confisca-
“I won’t stop writing because I’m a China is getting stricter and stricter tion of her personal property of RMB
freelancer, and I’m happy to continue in recent years, Chinese gay erotica ¥1,850,000 (US $254,400) and a fine
writing stories. Those who make a liv-
ing by writing have to think carefully writers tend to choose Haitang Cul- of RMB ¥1,850,000 (US $254,400).
about what to write, how to write, and ture as an enclave to avoid content “I think the penalties are certainly
censorship, for this website is based in
where to write. Fear will limit their Taiwan where regulations on gay erot- overwhelming and the laws should be
freedom to create,” the writer adds.
ica fictions are relatively lenient,” she reviewed. It is ridiculous to discuss
adds. laws and penalties when there is no
Founded in 2015, Haitang Culture
rating system about literary work in
is an online fiction website affiliated Under Chinese law, writers who mainland China,” Ni adds.
with Longma Culture Limited Com- make more than RMB ¥250,000 (US
pany in Taiwan. It features gay erotica In October 2024, a woman who
and other fiction which are only ac- $34,500) from selling erotic materials
cessible for internet users who are 18 can face a maximum sentence of life was believed to be Yuan’s sister posted
or above. imprisonment, although in practice a message on Weibo, said her sister
they can get shorter prison terms if who has been posting stories for al-
they settle the penalty. most a decade under the pen name
“I’m worried about other fiction Yunjian, has gone missing since mid-
websites such as Weibo and Lofter
that are subject to the authorities’ cen- One of the arrested is a top writ- June 2024 and appealed to readers for
sorship,” the writer, with ten years of er who publishes under the pen donations to settle the penalty.

Gay Erotica Writers

Facing Jail Time

The detention of more than 50 writers of gay erotica in mainland China has led to
heated debate.

By Della Qing The hot list of top 15 articles highly recommended by readers on fiction website
Haitang. All of them are gay erotica fictions.