In recent years, the detective genre has increasingly become an object of study within research on Chinese literature. Existing scholarly literature covers two main time periods: the early 20th century — the time of the genre’s emergence and formation^[1] and the present day — the current stage of detective literature’s development^[2]. At the same time, there is a notable lack of works analysing the processes that led to the current flourishing of the detective genre in the late 20th century — after the end of the Cultural Revolution. The only exception is the тезисы (abstracts) of Y. I. Mitkina’s presentation [10], which focus on the development of the detective genre during that period.

In the late 1970s, the evolution of the detective genre entered a qualitatively new stage, which researchers began to refer to as literature of the new period. The key characteristic of this stage was a significant increase in the number of detective works that incorporated acute social issues specific to Chinese society during that particular historical period. These transformations in the literary process were driven by fundamental changes in China’s socio‑political life. The end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976 served as a catalyst for the emergence of new literary trends that reflected recent historical events. During this period, there was an intense shift in ideological currents and aesthetic paradigms, including:revolutionary literature, «search for roots» literature (xungen / 寻根), avant‑garde literature [4][5]. At the same time, the dogmatic, one‑sided approach to literary creation that had dominated in the 1950s and 1960s — and which had restricted artistic diversity — was finally overcome [13, p.34]. In December 1978, at the Third Plenum of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the ideological line of «liberation of thought» (解放思想 jiefang sixiang) was officially adopted. This marked the beginning of large‑scale transformations in the socio‑political and cultural life of the People’s Republic of China. This political shift had a significant stimulating effect on the development of spiritual culture, including the literary process. In particular, it facilitated the resumption of active translation and publication of foreign detective works — primarily Western and Japanese ones.

The revival and revitalization of translation activities

A landmark event was the publication in 1979 of the first issue of Yilin (译林, «Forest of Translations»), which featured a translation of Agatha Christie’s novel «Death on the Nile» (尼罗河上的惨案, «Death on the Nile») [2]. The publication’s circulation exceeded 600,000 copies; exceptional reader demand even necessitated additional reprints.

The publication of Christie’s novel sparked a surge of interest among Chinese readers in Western detective fiction. Following this, publishers across the country began publishing large-scale translations of classic detective works by Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, Maurice Leblanc, Georges Simenon, Rampo Edogawa, Matsumoto Seite, and others.

Compared to the 1920–1930s and the 1950–1960s, the scale of detective fiction translation in the modern era reached unprecedented levels. According to statistical data, in the early 1980s, translated detective works accounted for approximately a quarter of the entire book market in China.

The published texts were dominated by classic examples of English-language detective fiction (UK, USA), Soviet works devoted to the theme of «fighting secret agents and preventing immoral behavior», Western European detective novels, and Japanese detective works, which gained particular popularity.

The magazine «Foreign Novels» (外国小说, Weiguo xiaoshuo), published by the Heilongjiang Publishing House, deserves special attention. Regularly featuring masterpieces of the detective genre in each issue, the publication gained significant popularity among Chinese readers.

Alongside book publishing, the film segment also gained momentum: screen adaptations of detective stories were released, further boosting reader interest in detective fiction [1, p.97].

Thus, the late 1970s and 1980s became a period of intense revival and transformation of the detective genre in China, driven by both political changes and increased cultural exchange with foreign countries.

Diversification of thematic spectrum

During this period, the thematic spectrum of Chinese detective fiction has diversified. Alongside traditional plots focused on crime investigation, detective stories addressing current social issues (drug trafficking, smuggling, corruption) have become more common; socially oriented works reflecting the realities of contemporary Chinese society; science fiction detective stories; and mystical and psychological variations of the genre [6].

Thus, despite ideological limitations, detective literature in China has evolved toward thematic and genre diversity, integrating both traditional elements of the genre and innovative approaches to storytelling.

The evolution of the detective genre in China was characterized by the following trends:

1. An expansion of the range of authors working in this genre.
2. A deepening of the social analytical potential of works: descriptions of social life became more multifaceted, and the issues became more acute and relevant to the Chinese context.
3. Reflection of contradictions and problematic aspects of modern society in texts.

Along with traditional plot lines (revenge murders, love crimes, mercenary crimes, the fight against foreign agents), detective fiction began to explore new thematic areas, reflecting the current challenges of the era: smuggling, drug trafficking, and corruption. One of the most representative works of this period is the novel «The Mysterious Footprints of Nine Horses» (九马疑踪, Ju ma yi zong) by Ji Hongxu (计红绪) [8], published in 1982. The plot is based on the story of a criminal group engaged in smuggling, which is subsequently tracked by Interpol.

Thus, Chinese detective literature during this period underwent a significant transformation: from reproducing traditional plot structures to addressing current social challenges, from translating foreign models to developing a distinctive national corpus of detective texts with a distinctly socially critical focus.

The evolution of the detective genre in China has seen a gradual expansion of its typological spectrum: alongside the classic detective story, psychological, adventure, science fiction, and social variations of the genre have developed.

The Influence of the Japanese Detective Tradition

The reception of the Japanese detective tradition, known as «tuili xiaoshuo» (推理小说), by Chinese authors deserves special attention. Within this tradition, Chinese writers saw a significant advantage over Western detective fiction—its in-depth social themes, reflecting the realities of contemporary society.

This tendency is confirmed by the statements of leading Chinese authors. For example, Cao Zhengwen, in a comparative analysis of Western and Japanese detective literature, notes: «The works of Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie do not sufficiently reflect the life of contemporary society, while the works of Japanese writers offer much more profound reflections on the life of modern society. Therefore, I study and adopt the experience of Japanese detective fiction in order to write Chinese detective stories based on it» [7, p.271]. The writer Ye Yongle characterizes the evolution of his own work as follows: «The influence of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes can clearly be seen in my works. But gradually I am beginning to realize that, although Conan Doyle’s works are very exciting, they lack greater focus on social issues. I admire Japanese social detective novels and try to strengthen the social focus of my works» [7, p.271].

Researchers unanimously identify the emphasis on social issues as a key characteristic of Chinese detective fiction of the new period. As Anna Song, for example, notes, the distinctiveness of Chinese detective novels of this period stems not from an imitation of foreign models, but from an orientation toward national realities. In her view, this approach testifies to the genre’s maturity, the development of an independent tradition, and a transition from imitation to original creativity [7, pp. 271–272].

Thus, the reception of the Japanese social detective novel acted as a catalyst for the transformation of Chinese detective fiction, facilitating its evolution from an entertainment genre to a tool for social analysis and reflection on the pressing issues of contemporary Chinese society.

Expanding Authors and Genre Experimentation

Among the literary figures of the period under review, Hu Zufu (胡祖富) occupies a prominent place, his works have caused significant social resonance. Particularly noteworthy is his novel «Fire of the Land» (地火, Di huo), which won second prize at the National Detective Fiction Competition. The artistic value of this text is primarily due to its socially critical focus: the author focuses on the problem of moral decay among government officials at various levels. The narrative centers on a series of crimes committed by corrupt officials. A key factor in the authenticity of the events depicted is the author’s professional experience: Hu Zufu served for a long time in the police, which allowed him to draw on real-life prototypes when creating his characters, meticulously recreate the mechanisms of government and law enforcement agencies, and accurately describe the specifics of corruption schemes. Drawing on his personal experience, the writer achieves a high degree of psychological authenticity in his depictions of the criminal acts of high-ranking officials. At the same time, the detective characters in his works are devoid of idealized traits. They are presented as real people with inherent weaknesses and experiences, individuals capable of love and devotion, and professionals aware of the complexity of moral choice in the face of systemic decay [13, p.123]. Thus, Hu Zufu’s work demonstrates the evolution of Chinese detective fiction from an entertaining genre to a form of socially critical prose capable of uncovering pressing issues in contemporary society, reflecting the contradictions of human nature amid institutional corruption, and simultaneously maintaining artistic credibility thanks to its reliance on the author’s real-life experience.

Thematic enrichment and the deepening of socially critical potential have become key innovations in the evolution of the detective genre in China. This transformation is evident in a number of iconic works. Take, for example, the novel «The Fish Curse» (鱼孽, Yu Nie) by Zhu Entao and Yang Zi. This work even won an award for its special theme, emphasizing its innovative nature. The plot is based on an internationally significant investigation—the «Golden Carp Case» (mid-1980s), conducted through the joint efforts of Chinese and foreign law enforcement agencies. This case concerns a large-scale drug trafficking network. The novel’s artistic features and social significance lay in its realistic depiction of the professional and personal challenges faced by police officers when investigating drug crimes; in a detailed analysis of the destructive impact of drug trafficking on the physical and mental health of individuals, the well-being of family institutions, and social stability in general, the novel thus demonstrates a shift from the entertaining function of detective fiction to a socially analytical one [13, p.124]: the emphasis shifts from intrigue to an understanding of pressing social issues.

Also worthy of special attention is the novel «Ten Endings of the Kiss of Death» (死吻的十种结局, Siwen de shi zhong jieju), published by Qunzhong Chubanshe (群众出版社) in 1991. The structure of the novel has the following features: introduction: the murder of a loving couple in a car; development: the girl who discovers the bodies contacts the police; an innovative device: ten alternative endings with different denouements. Ten writers participated in the creation of the novel, each writing their own version of the ending. This experiment served several functions: the destruction of the canonical linearity of detective narrative; the expansion of the reader’s experience due to multiple interpretations; the activation of reader reflection through the comparison of alternative scenarios; and the demonstration of the potential of collective creativity within the genre.

Thus, the two works presented illustrate two key trends in the development of Chinese detective fiction: first, a socially critical approach (a deepening of thematic issues, a focus on real social challenges) and a formally experimental approach (innovative narrative strategies, a blurring of genre boundaries).

These innovations demonstrate the genre’s maturity and its ability to combine traditional suspense with relevant social and aesthetic explorations.

In the development of detective fiction, there has been a tendency to attract authors who previously worked within other genre paradigms. Among the writers who have accomplished this genre transformation are Zhong Yuan, Lan Ma, Li Di, Tang Baohua, Wang Shuo, Fan Xiaoqing, Ye Yonglie, Yu Hua, and others. Yu Hua (余华), for example, turned to experimental forms of the detective novel in his literary work, implementing innovative artistic solutions in the novel «Accidental Case» (偶然事件, Ouzhan shijian), in which he consistently deconstructs the traditional canons of the detective genre. The specific artistic organization of the text is manifested in the rejection of a linear plot structure, the elimination of the classical tripartite composition (introduction – climax – denouement), and the deliberate blurring of cause and effect relationships between events. This narrative strategy, fundamentally opposed to the traditional demands of plot-driven storytelling, creates significant difficulties in the work’s reception. For readers raised within the traditional novel paradigm, with its emphasis on the dynamic of events and the final resolution of intrigue, this text appears artistically complex and cognitively challenging [13, p.126]. However, Yu Hua’s experimental explorations demonstrate an attempt to radically rethink the boundaries of the detective genre, allowing his works to be viewed as a significant phenomenon in the context of the evolution of modern Chinese prose.

The recent historical period in the development of detective fiction has seen a significant expansion of its target audience: alongside works for adults, detective texts aimed at children are beginning to be actively created.

The work of Ye Yonglie was a pioneering contribution in this direction. His works are distinguished by a specific narrative strategy: the author systematically uses a child’s perspective to recreate an authentic child’s perspective on reality, develop a unique system of artistic coordinates relevant to young readers, and ensure a high degree of engagement with children through the intimacy of the experiences described.

The 1990s saw the further development of the children’s detective genre, thanks to the work of authors such as Lan Ma and Yan Xiafeng. Their innovative contribution lies in the synthesis of the detective genre with science fiction—a bold genre experiment that expands the traditional boundaries of children’s detective fiction—and a dialogic narrative model—a conscious appeal to the child reader as a direct interlocutor, which creates the effect of confidential communication and enhances the interactivity of the text.

Thus, the evolution of children’s detective fiction during this period demonstrates a diversification of genre forms, a search for new narrative strategies, and a conscious focus on the cognitive and emotional characteristics of children. This allows us to view these processes as a significant stage in the development of Chinese children’s literature, characterized by a productive interaction between the entertaining and educational functions of fiction.

Furthermore, a number of writers combined creative work with theoretical understanding of the detective genre. Cao Zhengwen, Lin Yan, and He Jiahong made the most significant contributions to its study.

Ideological Resistance

However, this cultural phenomenon encountered resistance from the conservative wing of China’s political leadership. In particular, in 1980, Hu Qiaomu (胡乔木), a key figure in the CPC Central Committee responsible for ideological policy, issued a sharp critique: «Detective fiction also contains outstanding and profound works. However, most of them lack educational value and sometimes even have a negative impact, and they certainly do not contribute to the development and flourishing of socialist literature or the education of a new socialist individual». [14] This position had a significant impact on official propaganda rhetoric: at a certain point, a campaign of criticism against foreign detective fiction was launched in print media. Meanwhile, mass reader interest in foreign literature, which first became available after the end of the Cultural Revolution, was on an unprecedented scale.

Institutional Changes

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, the main publication venue for detective fiction in China was represented by specialized periodicals focusing on public security issues. The most significant magazines included: «Golden Shield» (金盾 Jin Dun), «Eastern Sword» (东方剑 Dongfang Jian), «Woodpecker» (啄木鸟 Zhoumunyao), and «Modern Policeman» (当代警察Dandai Jingcha).

In the 1990s, in the context of the rapid spread of internet technologies, the phenomenon of internet literature emerged and developed dynamically in China. The detective genre organically integrated into this cultural field, demonstrating a steady trend toward quantitative growth. A significant feature of the genesis of Chinese online detective fiction is its institutional specificity: unlike other genres of internet literature, the detective tradition developed primarily through specialized thematic web platforms. These resources acted as key incubators for the genre, ensuring the systematic publication of new works, the formation of reader communities, and the development of genre canons in the digital environment.

Conclusions

Thus, the following key trends in the development of the detective genre in the last quarter of the 20th century can be identified:

1. Thematic and genre diversification—an expanding range of themes (from corruption to science fiction), the emergence of new subgenres.
2. Social focus—an emphasis on understanding current issues in Chinese society.
3. Reception of foreign traditions—the influence of both Western and Japanese detective literature.
4. Experimentation with form—a rejection of traditional narrative strategies, the use of non-linear plots, multiple endings, etc.
5. Audience expansion—the emergence of children’s and adolescent detective fiction.
6. Institutional changes—the transition of some of the genre to the online space.

Detective literature in China in the last quarter of the 20th century has evolved from a renaissance after a period of ideological restrictions to the emergence of a multifaceted genre reflecting social, cultural, and technological changes in society. This evolution was driven by both external factors (political reforms, cultural exchange) and internal needs — to comprehend recent history, reflect new realities, and experiment with artistic forms. As a result, detective fiction evolved from a primarily entertaining genre into a tool for social analysis and artistic experimentation, laying the foundation for further development in the 21st century.

[1] For example [15], [11], [12]

[2] For example [3], [9]