[{"_1":2,"_3":-5,"_4":-5},"loaderData",{"_5":6,"_7":8},"actionData","errors","root",{"_28":-5,"_38":-5,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58},"routes/_store+/_readers+/email_author.$slug/route",{"_9":10,"_11":-5},"book",{"_12":13,"_14":15,"_16":17,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":23},"currentUser","id","Z2lkOi8vbGVhbnB1Yi9TdG9yZTo6Qm9va1Byb2R1Y3QvODI4OTA","title","Understanding China's Publishing Industry","state","published","contactAuthorMethod","email","aboutText","

China's publishing industry is one of the world's largest and most complex. But for foreign publishers, agents, and researchers, reliable and up-to-date information in English about how it works is almost impossible to find. Until now.

Understanding China's Publishing Industry: An Essential Primer to the World's Largest Book Market is a clear, insider-written guide for foreign professionals who want to do business in or with China's publishing world.

This book covers the industry as it is today: after the digital revolution, in the middle of AI transformation, and reshaped by a web novel boom that has already spread to overseas markets.

Inside, you'll learn:

✔ How China's unique ISBN system works — and why it affects your rights deals

✔ The real relationship between state-owned publishers and private companies

✔ How content regulation works in practice: what is restricted, what is open, and how to assess risk

✔ China's large digital publishing market — including web novels (RMB 49.55 billion revenue, 638 million readers) that are changing global reading habits

✔ How AI is used in Chinese publishing

✔ How books are sold in China today: from Douyin live-streaming to community marketing

✔ Where to start: four entry points — buying Chinese rights, bringing your book into China, finding the right partner, or seeing the market at its book fairs — plus the four mistakes beginners make

Whether you want to acquire Chinese titles, sell rights into China, work with Chinese authors, or simply understand the world's largest book market — this is the first book you should read.

Written by a publishing insider with over 13 years of hands-on experience in China's publishing sector.

This book is published on Leanpub through the \"Lean Publishing\" model. As China's publishing landscape evolves, the book will be updated with new data, policies, and market changes. Readers can contact the author with questions — the most-asked ones shape future updates. Buyers receive all future updates for free.

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Kick off your book project, get started with GhostAI, get better at marketing, or spend the day doing all three! Free live workshops on Zoom. Saturday, June 27, 2026.

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