For countless young Chinese women like Cindy Zhong, relaxing evenings once meant immersing themselves in steamy stories about two men falling in love. Today, that simple pleasure has become increasingly difficult as their favorite authors and tales systematically disappear from online platforms.
The Rising Popularity and Subsequent Crackdown
Danmei, a popular same-sex romance genre written and read predominantly by straight women, is facing what fans describe as China's largest crackdown yet on this literary form. The government's intensified campaign has effectively neutered the enjoyment for millions of dedicated readers across the country.
Within the vast world of fantasy fiction, Danmei presents relatively straightforward narratives: two male characters embody idealized relationships ranging from chaste connections to explicitly erotic encounters. Scholars suggest these stories resonate with Chinese women as they provide an escape from the country's conservative gender values, allowing readers to imagine relationships built on more equal footing.
"Women turn to Danmei for pure love, especially as they face pressure from families, peers and society to get married and have kids," explained Aiqing Wang, a senior lecturer at the University of Liverpool who specializes in Chinese popular culture and internet literature.
From Niche Subculture to Global Phenomenon
This once-niche Chinese literary subculture has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, with successful novels being adapted into blockbuster television series and translated into multiple Western languages. Known as "Boys Love" in English-speaking countries, Danmei has captured international attention while simultaneously drawing scrutiny from Chinese authorities.
According to media reports and online witness accounts, at least dozens of writers have been interrogated, arrested, and charged with producing and selling obscene materials in China over the past year. The crackdown has forced many authors to stop publishing or remove their work from digital platforms, while numerous websites have either shut down completely or purged their libraries, leaving only the tamest stories behind.
"Chinese female readers can no longer find a safe, uncensored space to place our desires," lamented Zhong, an educator in her 30s who has been reading Danmei for years.
For writers like Zou Xuan, a teacher who previously wrote Danmei for enjoyment, the genre represented creative freedom. "When I was writing, I felt so powerful that I could create a world," said Zou, who has been reading these stories for a decade.
Government Pressure and Creative Workarounds
China's government has been tightening its control over LGBTQ representation despite removing homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses in 2001. While same-sex relationships aren't criminalized, authorities have shut down rights groups and social media accounts related to LGBTQ communities.
Despite longstanding disapproval from China's censorship apparatus, the most popular Danmei stories have achieved bestseller status and been adapted into cartoons, video games, and TV series. Productions often circumvent censorship by either transforming characters into heterosexual couples or presenting the relationship between male leads as intense "friendship" rather than romance.
Typically published online by amateur writers, Danmei stories rank among the most widely read fiction in China. The genre spans from flowery romantic narratives to explicitly erotic content, often featuring scenes of men in ethereal ancient costumes wielding swords and flutes, or intimate encounters in natural settings after rainfall.
"Danmei is a utopian existence," described Chen Xingyu, a 32-year-old freelance teacher from Kunming. "I would be less happy without it."
International Success and Legal Consequences
Several prominent Danmei works, including Heaven Official's Blessing and Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, have been translated into English, developing a global fanbase and even appearing on The New York Times paperback bestseller list.
"The language is very flowery and poetic, which I really enjoy," said Kayla McHenry, a Pennsylvania law firm employee who reads translated versions.
However, the author behind these successful titles, Yuan Yimei (better known by her pen name Mo Xiang Tong Xiu), faced legal consequences for her work. In 2020, she received a three-year prison sentence for "illegal business operation" after selling self-published Danmei books. She was released on parole in 2021.
The exact number of writers affected by China's crackdown remains unclear. Mostly young females, many Danmei authors have described on social media—in posts that were later censored—being detained and questioned by police in Lanzhou. They expressed humiliation and fear that criminal records could jeopardize their futures.
An official at the Lanzhou Public Security Bureau declined to comment, citing ongoing investigations. Gansu provincial police didn't respond to Associated Press requests for comment. The AP noted it couldn't independently confirm these reports.
Regional Impact and Reader Adaptation
Even in Taiwan, beyond China's direct censorship reach, the mainland crackdown has created ripple effects. Haitang, a major Danmei platform headquartered in Taiwan, temporarily closed in June, warning writers to discontinue content "if it doesn't comply with the laws and regulations of where the writers are located."
When the website recently returned, it featured drastically fewer stories and writers. Readers discovered that stories saved in their accounts had been removed, though it remained unclear whether authors or the website initiated the deletions.
Another popular Danmei site, Sosad.fun—based outside China with at least 400,000 registered readers—shut down completely in April. Neither website responded to emails seeking comment.
Despite the ongoing crackdown, Danmei stories remain accessible in China, though fans report they've become tamer and lack the erotic appeal that initially attracted readers. With many talented writers leaving the genre, remaining content often fails to meet previous quality standards.
Some enthusiasts have abandoned Danmei altogether, while others continue searching for the provocative details that originally drew them to the genre.
"Stories I read in high school were much more explicit than those I read nowadays," noted Chen from Kunming. "I have to spend more time and try harder to find them. I need this content to fill my life."
Chen explained that some authors now publish their work abroad, leaving readers to physically bring books into China or share digital files informally. Other readers have turned to online comics translated from Japanese or Korean sources.
Despite the shrinking space for same-sex stories in China, experts believe women and their literary preferences have undergone irreversible changes.
"The awakening of female consciousness, the desire of reading and not being ashamed of what they want to read is irreversible," asserted Xi Tian, an associate professor of East Asian Studies at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania.
