CHINA

Police in Northwest China Detain Writers of Gay Erotic Fiction

Published: Jun. 9, 2025 8:06 p.m. GMT+8

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The “danmei” fiction writers are suspected of violating the Chinese mainland’s Criminal Law by producing or distributing obscene materials for profit. Photo: AI generated

Authorities in Northwest China’s Gansu province have cracked down on authors of gay erotic fiction, investigating more than 10 writers and prosecuting at least one, Caixin has learned.

The crackdown is part of a broader effort to combat pornographic content. However, the targeting of multiple female writers — including several college students — has sparked debate over whether the criteria by which content is labelled obscene are outdated or excessively harsh.

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Authorities in China's Gansu province are investigating over 10 and have prosecuted at least one author of gay erotic fiction for allegedly producing or distributing obscene materials for profit.
The crackdown targets primarily female writers of "danmei" fiction, a genre of male-male romance, sparking debate over China's strict internet censorship and outdated legal framework.
Convictions can lead to severe penalties, and legal experts argue the 2004 sentencing guidelines for "obscene materials" are outdated given current online viewership metrics and earnings.

AI generated, for reference only

Who’s Who

Haitang Culture: Haitang Culture is a Taiwan-based fiction website known for publishing male-male romance or "danmei" fiction. This genre features romanticized and sometimes sexually explicit fantasies of gay love, primarily produced and consumed by a female audience. The website has been at the center of a Chinese crackdown on online erotic fiction, with authors publishing there being investigated and prosecuted.

AI generated, for reference only

What Happened When

2002：: A case occurred in which a husband was detained after he and his wife were found to have watched pornography at home.

2004：: Sentencing guidelines for producing, distributing, or selling obscene materials were set, establishing thresholds for criminal penalties.

2024：: Authorities in Jixi county, Anhui province, reportedly detained dozens of Haitang writers.

2024：: A writer using the pen name Yun Jian was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after 37 of her 38 novels were deemed obscene and her illegal gains exceeded 1.84 million yuan.

Between November and December 2024：: The Jixi court heard 12 cases involving alleged production and dissemination of obscene materials for profit.

April 2025：: Police in Lanzhou, Gansu province, began questioning authors who had published works on Haitang Culture about their alleged wrongdoing.