Experts convene in Sanya to explore marine literature

On June 7, more than a hundred academics, writers and critics in the field of marine literature from across the country convened at Yazhou Bay in Sanya — the coastal city in China's southernmost Hainan province — for a two-day event titled the 4th Academic Conference New Era Marine Literature.

The event focused on the innovative growth of creative marine literature and featured discussions from a whole host of perspectives.

Proceedings begin at the conference in Yazhou Bay. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

The event was packed with wide-ranging discussions and a wealth of ideas. Experts in the field examined cutting-edge issues like the development of marine literature theory, spatial storytelling, cultural exchanges, poetic aesthetics and children's literature with a focus on the ocean.

Participants also engaged in deep discussions on new marine and island literature — as well as comparisons between Chinese and international marine literature — providing fresh perspectives for contemporary marine literary writing and research.

In group sessions, experts explored such themes as "marine literature and Nanyang writing (Southeast Asian literatures), new south writing" and "marine science fiction and online literature, comparative literature".

These discussions bridged traditional and modern themes, local and global perspectives, and literature with technology — highlighting the dynamic diversity in today's marine literature research.

The event also saw the launch of several academic books on marine literature. It also hosted three roundtable discussions — on marine literature and the novel revolution, marine literature and science fiction, and marine literature and new south writing.

These forums aim to showcase the year's latest academic contributions and to support the advancement of Chinese marine literature towards a more innovative and high-quality future.