Updated 2026
AO3 Chinese Fan Community — The Global Hub for Chinese-Speaking Fanfiction Readers and Writers
By the AO3 Chinese Fan Community Editorial Team · Updated May 2026 · Fandom rankings, writing guides, community voices, events and cultural resources for Chinese-speaking AO3 fans worldwide
AO3 Chinese Fan Community is the largest independent community hub for Chinese-speaking fans of Archive of Our Own — the world’s premier fanfiction archive. We cover fandom rankings, writing culture, community events and resources for the tens of thousands of Chinese-language fanfiction readers and writers active across the globe.
Jump to any section. All topics covered on this page.
What Is AO3 and Why Do Chinese Fans Love It?
Archive of Our Own — universally known as AO3 — is a nonprofit, fan-run fanfiction archive founded in 2008 by the Organization for Transformative Works (OTW). It has grown into the world’s most respected fanfiction platform, hosting over 14 million works across hundreds of thousands of fandoms. AO3 won the Hugo Award for Best Related Work in 2019, the first fan-created platform to receive such recognition. Unlike commercial alternatives, AO3 operates without advertising, is governed entirely by fans, and is committed to the long-term preservation of fan creative works as a legitimate form of cultural participation.
For Chinese-speaking fans in particular, AO3 offers something especially valuable — a platform with minimal content restrictions, a robust tagging system that allows readers to find precisely the kind of stories they want, and a global community that takes fanfiction seriously as a literary form. Chinese is the second most-used language on AO3 after English. Chinese-language works number over 240,000 as of 2025, and Chinese fans contribute tens of thousands of new works every year.
The story of AO3 and Chinese fandom is inseparable from the phenomenon of Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (墨香铜臭, MXTX), the pseudonymous author whose four danmei novels — Mo Dao Zu Shi, Tian Guan Ci Fu, The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System, and Erha and His White Cat Shizun — generated the largest Chinese-language fandom communities on the platform. Mo Dao Zu Shi alone has over 42,000 Chinese-language works, making it one of the largest fandoms in any language on the archive.
AO3官网入口
AO3（Archive of Our Own）是一个面向全球用户的同人创作与阅读平台。对于中国用户来说，访问 AO3 官方网站有时可能会受到网络环境、地区政策、浏览器设置或连接方式等因素影响，因此实际访问体验可能并不稳定。如果你正在查找 AO3官网入口，建议优先了解当地网络规定，并遵守你所在国家或地区的相关法律法规。不同地区对海外网站、社区平台和用户生成内容的访问规则可能不同，用户应根据自身所在地的法律要求，合理、安全、合法地浏览相关内容。
本站提供的 AO3 相关信息仅用于帮助中文用户了解 AO3 社区、同人文化和相关内容趋势，不鼓励用户绕过当地法律或平台规则。访问任何网站之前，请确认你的行为符合当地法律、学校或工作单位的网络政策，以及相关平台的使用条款。
AO3 was founded in 2008 and won the Hugo Award for Best Related Work in 2019. Chinese is the second most-used language on the platform. The Mo Dao Zu Shi fandom has over 42,000 Chinese-language works. Chinese fanfiction averages approximately 38,000 characters per work — significantly longer than the global average — reflecting a Chinese literary tradition that favours substantial, immersive narratives.
Top Chinese-Language Fandoms on AO3 — 2025 Rankings
The following table shows the most active Chinese-language fandoms on AO3 based on work count and community activity as of mid-2025. Rankings compiled by our community research team and updated quarterly.
| # | Fandom | Chinese Name | Category | Est. Chinese Works | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mo Dao Zu Shi / The Untamed | 魔道祖师 / 陈情令 | BL | 42,000+ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 2 | The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System | 人渣反派自救系统 | BL | 18,500+ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 3 | Heaven Official’s Blessing / TGCF | 天官赐福 | BL | 16,200+ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 4 | Harry Potter (Chinese fandom) | 哈利·波特 | BL Het | 14,800+ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 5 | Word of Honor / Shan He Ling | 山河令 | BL | 12,400+ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 6 | Supernatural (Chinese fandom) | 邪恶力量 | BL | 9,800+ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 7 | Baldur’s Gate III (Chinese fandom) | 博德之门3 | BL F/F | 8,200+ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 8 | Guardian / Zhen Hun | 镇魂 | BL | 7,600+ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 9 | Erha and His White Cat Shizun | 二哈和他的白猫师尊 | BL | 6,900+ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 10 | Arcane (Chinese fandom) | 奥术 / 双城之战 | BL F/F | 5,800+ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Source: AO3 Chinese Fan Community research team, mid-2025. Work counts are estimates based on community monitoring and are updated quarterly.
The dominance of Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s works reflects the extraordinary cultural impact of yuandan (原耽, original Chinese BL novels) on global fanfiction. MXTX’s four novels have been adapted into animated series, audio dramas, and live-action dramas. Each adaptation generates a new wave of fanfiction across all languages, with Chinese-language works consistently leading growth in every MXTX fandom.
Chinese AO3 Fandom by the Numbers — 2025
| Metric | Figure | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Total Chinese-language works on AO3 | 240,000+ | As of mid-2025 |
| New Chinese works added annually | 48,000+ | 2024 calendar year |
| Most common category | M/M (BL / Danmei) | Over 60% of all Chinese works |
| Average Chinese work length | 38,000 characters | 3-5x longer than global average |
| Female authors (estimated) | ~78% | Particularly in danmei fandoms |
| Chinese rank by language on AO3 | 2nd | After English globally |
| Countries with active Chinese AO3 fans | 67+ | Based on community survey data |
Community Voices — What Chinese AO3 Fans Are Saying
We asked members of our community from around the world to share their experiences as Chinese-speaking fans on AO3. Here is what they told us.
“Writing on AO3 as a Chinese-speaking fan living abroad is one of the most meaningful creative experiences I have had. The comments I receive from readers in Singapore, Malaysia, the US, and Taiwan remind me that Chinese fandom is genuinely global. My MDZS fic got comments from readers on four continents in its first week. That still amazes me.”
“I started reading danmei on Jinjiang in 2016 and discovered AO3 a year later. The difference is significant — longer works, bolder creative choices, more diversity in the kinds of stories being told. The tagging system is something I now could not live without as a reader. Being able to filter by exactly the tropes and dynamics I want saves so much time and gets me to the stories I actually love.”
“Getting constructive feedback from other Chinese-speaking writers who understood the source material deeply — not just translated summaries — was invaluable. AO3 fandom for Chinese works has a remarkable depth of engagement. Readers leave real literary commentary, not just emoji responses. That changes how you write.”
“I do Chinese-to-English translations of fanfiction and it has taught me more about both languages than any formal study. The challenge of conveying classical Chinese idioms, the specific emotional register of 古风 writing, and the cultural weight of certain tropes to an English-speaking audience is genuinely difficult and deeply rewarding. The AO3 Chinese fan translation community is incredibly collaborative.”
“I am in the HP Chinese fandom which has a long, rich history that predates the MXTX wave on AO3. What I love about this community now is seeing older fans who grew up reading 同人 in early internet forums and newer fans who discovered AO3 through danmei all coexisting and reading each other’s work. The historical continuity of Chinese fandom is something people outside it rarely see.”
“I discovered danmei through The Untamed during lockdown and within six months had read MDZS, TGCF, and SVSSS in Chinese. AO3 was where I went when I needed more stories in that world. The community events here — anniversary weeks, character birthday celebrations, themed challenges — gave me a structure to follow even as a new fan. Fandom calendars sound trivial but they are genuinely how you build a sense of belonging when you are far from home.”
“I create companion artwork for my fanfics and post them alongside my works on AO3. The interaction between visual and written fan creativity in Chinese fandom is something that sets us apart — we have a very strong tradition of 配图 (illustrated fanfiction) going back to early Chinese fandom spaces. Bringing that tradition to AO3 has been wonderful.”
“My academic research focuses on East Asian fan culture and AO3 Chinese fandom is one of the richest subjects I have encountered. The sophistication of reader commentary in the Chinese AO3 community rivals academic literary criticism. Readers regularly engage with narrative structure, characterisation theory, and intertextual references at a level that reflects genuine literary education.”
“I run a social media account dedicated to promoting Chinese AO3 fanfiction and the response has been incredible. There is a huge appetite among Chinese-speaking fans outside mainland China for curated recommendations from the AO3 Chinese community. Community hubs like this one are essential for connecting readers with the best works.”
“I only started writing fanfiction last year and I was genuinely scared to post my first work. The Chinese AO3 community has been extraordinarily welcoming to new writers — experienced authors leave detailed, encouraging comments, and there is none of the gatekeeping you might expect from such an established creative community. This community’s writing guide helped me understand not just the technical side of AO3 but the cultural conventions Chinese readers expect.”
Community Events Calendar 2025-2026
The Chinese AO3 fan community organises regular fandom events, writing challenges, anniversary celebrations and community activities throughout the year.
◀ Recent Past Events
Completed
Completed
Completed
Completed
▶ Upcoming Events
Upcoming
Major Event
Applications Open
Upcoming
Annual Flagship
Chinese AO3 Writing Guide — Getting Started
Writing and publishing fanfiction on AO3 as a Chinese-speaking author involves navigating both the platform’s technical features and the cultural conventions of the Chinese AO3 community. Here are the essentials.
The AO3 Tagging System for Chinese Works
AO3 tags divide into Required Tags (Rating, Warnings, Categories, Fandoms, Relationships, Characters) and Additional Tags (freeform). For Chinese authors the most important conventions are: use “中文-普通话 国语” as the Language tag for Mandarin works, use “M/M” for male-male relationships in the Categories field, and encode Chinese fandom conventions like HE/BE status and gong/shou dynamics in Additional Tags. Many Chinese works have historically been under-tagged, reducing discoverability.
HE vs BE — Setting Reader Expectations
Chinese AO3 readers have a strong preference for Happy Endings (HE, 大团圆结局) and will frequently filter or avoid works tagged with Bad Endings (BE, 悲剧结局). The HE/BE distinction in Chinese fandom carries specific emotional weight rooted in Chinese literary traditions. Clearly indicating your work’s ending type in Additional Tags or the opening author’s note is considered essential courtesy to Chinese readers.
Chinese Fandom Terminology on AO3
| Chinese Term | Pinyin | English Equivalent | How It Appears on AO3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 攻 | Gōng | Seme / Top | Listed first in ship tag |
| 受 | Shòu | Uke / Bottom | Listed second in ship tag |
| HE / 大团圆 | HE / Dàtuányuán | Happy Ending | Additional Tags: “Happy Ending” |
| BE / 虐文 | BE / Nüèwén | Bad Ending / Angst | Additional Tags: “Tragedy” |
| AU / 现代向 | AU / Xiàndàixiàng | Alternate Universe | Additional Tags: “Alternate Universe” |
| 坑 / 未完 | Kēng / Wèiwán | WIP / Incomplete | Work marked “Work in Progress” |
| 双向暗恋 | Shuāngxiàng ànliàn | Mutual pining | Additional Tags: “Mutual Pining” |
| 年下 | Nián xià | Younger partner | Additional Tags: “Age Gap” |
中文专区 — 华语同人文化简介
Chinese language section · 面向全球华语同人爱好者
同人文化在中文互联网上有着悠久的历史。1990年代末，随着日本动漫文化的引入和互联网的普及，中文同人写作社区开始在早期BBS论坛兴起。耽美（Danmei）类型逐步成为华语同人最具代表性的创作方向。
墨香铜臭（Mo Xiang Tong Xiu）的作品——《魔道祖师》《天官赐福》《人渣反派自救系统》《二哈和他的白猫师尊》——将华语原耽文化推向了国际舞台。AO3上的中文作品数量已超过24万，中文已成为平台第二大使用语言。
本社区致力于为全球华语AO3爱好者提供资讯、写作指南与社区交流空间，连接分散在世界各地的华语同人读者与创作者。
耽美（Danmei）
以男性之间浪漫关系为核心的创作类型，源自日本BL文化，在中国经历了独特的本土化发展。代表作：《魔道祖师》《天官赐福》。
原耽（Yuandan）
原创耽美的简称，指由中国作者原创的耽美文学作品。MXTX是目前国际影响力最大的原耽作家代表。
同人（Tongren）
基于已有IP进行的二次创作，华语同人以长篇著称，平均作品字数远高于全球平均水平。
百合（Baihe）
以女性之间浪漫关系为核心的创作类型，对应日本GL文化。近年来在华语原创领域快速发展。
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AO3 and what makes it different from other fanfiction sites? +
Why is Chinese fandom so significant on AO3? +
What is danmei and how did it shape Chinese AO3 fandom? +
Who is Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (MXTX)? +
What is the difference between gong (攻) and shou (受) in Chinese BL fanfiction? +
How does the AO3 tagging system work for Chinese-language works? +
This is an independent fan community hub and is not affiliated with Archive of Our Own or the Organization for Transformative Works. AO3 and Archive of Our Own are trademarks of the Organization for Transformative Works. All fandom data and statistics are estimates compiled by community volunteers and updated quarterly.