Title : Transformations and Mutations of the Chinese Language Publishing Field in the Digital Age

Author(s) : Yu-Ching, Lee

Pages : 92-112

Abstract in English : In the traditional publishing arena, the
publishing fields around the world all
operate according to a fixed value chain
system, which has been in operation ever
since the existence of the publishing
industry over 500 years. Now the
publishing industry is going through a
transition period toward digitization,
which has overwhelmed not only the entire
system but the entire publishing field. In
this digital age, publishing houses in the
West have carried on with their
conventional model of value chains and
have established a comprehensive digital
publishing system. But in Chinesespeaking
regions, due to factors such as
market traits, consumer reading habits,
publishing policies and consumption
habits which are vastly different from
those in the West, the Western system of
digital publishing is not applicable. This
study analyzes the Chinese language
publishing field by interviewing Cross-
Straits publishing experts. The aim is to
examine the differences between the
publishing structure of Chinese-speaking
regions (specifically mainland China and
Taiwan), the typical publishing field in the
West, and the traditional paper-based
publishing field which has existed for
hundreds of years. The result shows that
Taiwan follows the Western e-publishing
model. However, because of the
differences in market size and reading
habits, the e-publishing model is not
applicable in Taiwan. China, on the other
hand, has developed its own system called
“Internet Literature” in accordance with
readers’ reading preferences and habits.
Moreover, this model uses the intellectual
property to extend the value of
publications by transforming literature
texts into other forms of cultural
production. This publishing business
model is carried out by big Internet
companies such as Tencent, Baidu, rather
than by publishers. These mutations of
Internet literature content have really
challenged the Chinese state-regulated
publishing system, and have become the
foundations of a successful business model.
This development in China has challenged
the conventional definition of publishing,
as literature has been a symbol of
highbrow civilization whereas Internet
Literature is more a symbol of uncultured
entertainment.