Fei Tian Ye Xiang, also known as Arise Zhang, is a beloved author who has penned many popular danmei stories over the course of his decades-spanning career. With English releases of Riverbay Road Men’s Dormitory, Joyful Reunion, Legend of Exorcism, and more, 2025 truly felt like the year of Fei Tian Ye Xiang for western audiences—and there’s still more to come in 2026.
He graciously took the time to chat with DanmeiNews about his debut in the English market, his views on writing, and his upcoming work. Our questions and Fei Tian Ye Xiang’s answers are available in their original Chinese after the English translation.
DanmeiNews would like to give special thanks to Y. Yang for translation, and to Seven Seas Entertainment for coordinating this interview opportunity! You can check out Seven Seas Danmei for a list of their English-translated danmei releases, and follow them on their socials: Twitter/X, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook.
DN: Hello! We’re from DanmeiNews, a site dedicated to reporting on news in the officially licensed English-language danmei industry and providing interesting editorials on various danmei topics. We’re a team of passionate fans, translators, and publishing industry professionals who have loved the genre for years, and have enjoyed your works immensely. We’re honored to get to ask you some questions today.
For any who may not already be familiar, could you introduce yourself to our readers? Who is Fei Tian Ye Xiang (Arise Zhang)?
FTYX: Hello! Thank you DanmeiNews for this opportunity! I’m delighted to introduce myself to English readers! To best express myself in this interview, I’ll respond in my native language rather than English.
I’m Fei Tian Ye Xiang (Arise Zhang), a danmei author. I began publishing novels on JJWXC [Jinjiang Literature City] in 2008, writing in my native language. It’s been seventeen years since then.
I enjoy the fantasy, historical, and interstellar sci-fi genres. I love gaming, too. In my daily life, I often lose myself in fiction and fantasies that take me away from reality. Writing is like stepping into the worlds within books and experiencing the protagonists’ magnificent lives alongside them. Just as readers gain unique experiences and broaden their horizons through novels, authors also hope to live vicariously through writing. In my spare time after work, I try to publish and present the stories from my imagination. And thanks to everyone’s generous support, I can share them with all of you. For a writer, that is an honor!
DN: One of your more recent series published in English is Riverbay Road Men’s Dormitory. Some readers have noticed that it stands out from a lot of other well-known danmei in a number of ways, such as its frank discussions of queerness and sexuality and its broader focus on secondary characters and their storylines. Did you write Riverbay with a particular audience in mind?
FTYX: Riverbay Road Men’s Dormitory is not my first novel drawing inspiration from the LGBT+ community. In the Chinese market, I wrote Bei Cheng Tian Jie in 2012*, which tells the story of an HIV carrier, and Xia Liu She Hui, which touches on antisocial personality disorder and deception. The latter has yet to find a suitable platform for publication.
Compared to typical danmei novels, I see Riverbay as more of an observation and portrayal of everyday gay life. Of course, it’s a novel, so I’ve made many character embellishments to make the story more readable.
The initial idea for this book came from a conversation with a producer friend about the challenges of publishing novels, as well as the societal responsibilities and functions a novel should fulfill. Another director friend also once brought up the idea of observing people by renting out his apartment to specific tenants as a way to connect with and better understand their lives. And so Zhang Yuwen, the protagonist, was born, along with his efforts and struggles to fulfill his dream of publishing a book.
Actually, while conceptualizing the story, I didn’t really think of specifically portraying the gay community. Initially, I envisioned it as a slice-of-life comedy similar to Queer as Folk or a gay version of Friends. But as the plot unfolded, the characters began taking on lives of their own. They came to possess their own wills, breaking free of the author’s control, and the story gradually developed in a different direction. Each character had their own aspirations—authentic, ordinary dreams shared by many ordinary people in big cities, such as “I want to be independent,” “I want to be myself,” “I want a better life.” No grand backdrops of nations, universes, or the galaxy, no trials of life and death. Only life and the many tiny conflicts and hopes that come with living.
But they are still genuine and precious. They give the characters their own charm. By the end, the book morphed into a vessel for expressing the modest wishes of marginalized groups. I’m very happy that Seven Seas chose to publish this book, it’s the only novel of all my submitted manuscripts for which I signed the contract with them before serialization in Chinese began. Riverbay is also a story I’m very fond of.
* DanmeiNews Editorial Note: Fei Tian Ye Xiang donated all sales of Bei Cheng Tian Jie / 北城天街 to a charitable organization supporting China’s HIV/AIDS community, per the work’s original JJWXC posting.
DN: In Riverbay, the character Zheng Weize struggles with their gender identity, even mentioning that they self-medicated with black market estrogen pills in their teenage years. What inspired you when writing this storyline?
FTYX: The original inspiration came from a friend who wished to transition but faced obstacles for a long time. Through them, I met many individuals from the transgender community. Some of them managed to fulfill their wishes, while others, constrained by familial, societal, and other reasons, made only limited attempts. So in Riverbay, I channeled many of these emotions onto Zheng Weize, including his love, desires, and self-perception. Through his life under that roof, I tried to give him a happy ending. But as I mentioned earlier, sometimes a character won’t follow the plans the author laid out for them. So once he found himself, he chose his own future path.
In Chinese-speaking environments, the transgender community doesn’t have the same level of acceptance and understanding as it does in English-speaking environments. I think Weize’s circumstances are more like what people in English-speaking environments experienced some time back. That English readers could empathize with and embrace him rather than find his inner struggles outdated both surprises and gladdens me.
DN: You originally serialized Riverbay Road Men’s Dormitory in English on the NovelUpdatesForum in 2023. What inspired you to translate it on your own?
FTYX: I always dreamed of writing in multiple languages so I could experience the culture, contextual nuances, and literary charm of a second and third language. When I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a translator so I could read many fascinating stories and translate them into Chinese.
Motivated by this interest, I tried writing in English in 2023, but after three chapters I realized my English proficiency wasn’t good enough to write novels. I needed more practice. So I changed my plan: I decided to finish writing it in Chinese, then attempt a translation. However, I soon discovered this idea was unwise too, since my vocabulary and prose were nowhere near those of a professional translator. Besides, I’m too used to Chinese sentence structure and grammar to get a proper feel for writing in English. Eventually, I compromised and turned to ChatGPT for help with expanding my vocabulary. I also found a translator to assist with proofreading, and learned through reading and editing.
I’d also like to thank Grape and Liu Nian for assisting with the translation and publication of this story, and for teaching me a great deal. I hope that one day, I’ll be able to write a novel in a non-native language and bring everyone a new reading experience.
DN: Were you already aware of your western fandom, which existed before your works were officially licensed by Seven Seas and Via Lactea? You’ve had a lot of fans around the world for some time, thanks to a variety of factors; such as the official English availability of the Legend of Exorcism and Dinghai Fusheng Records donghua.
FTYX: I had no idea before! My overseas rights agent told me there were English translations of my novels on NovelUpdates, which really surprised me. I also didn’t know that the Legend of Exorcism donghua had been released overseas, and I was very happy to see it on streaming platforms. That these translated novels could be so well-received by readers is incredible validation for any author, and it further reinforces my belief that stories themselves can transcend language and cultural barriers.
DN: You’ve had a lot of books coming out in English lately, which aside from the exceptions of Riverbay and Astrolabe Rebirth, seem to primarily be from your catalog of historical fantasy works: two entries in the Exorcism universe (Legend of Exorcism, Dinghai Fusheng Records), Joyful Reunion, and To Rule in a Turbulent World. Have you observed any differences in tastes between your Chinese-speaking readers and your English-speaking ones?
FTYX: Eastern and western stories have different cultural backgrounds, having been born on different soils. For English readers, reading eastern fantasy probably feels like how eastern readers experience Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. Readers are likely drawn to stories set in ancient times because they find them to be exotic and mysterious.
I feel the same when writing. Snow-capped mountains shrouded in mist, shadowy assassin organizations, ancient legends and secrets passed down through the generations, mythical creatures from The Classic of Mountains and Seas, cultivators on their flying swords, the ideology of chivalry—these are all steeped in romanticism.
As for reading preferences, I don’t think there’s a huge difference between Chinese and English readers; in the Chinese market, readers also tend to prefer these romantic stories. Perhaps “danmei” itself is a reflection of the romantic sentiments in our hearts that we haven’t been able to realize in the real world.
DN: You have an extensive catalog of past works that spans over 15 years and a variety of genres. Are there any genres that you’d like to experiment with in upcoming books, especially now that you’ve made such a huge splash in a new market?
FTYX: Writing has already become an integral part of my life. For an author, having the privilege to write is a blessing. I’m deeply grateful to all my readers—Chinese and English alike—for giving me this privilege. I do hope to try writing even more diverse genres and themes. The Chinese market is full of concepts such as “unlimited flow,” “system novels,” and “ABO,” which I believe readers have also read about in translated works by other authors. Going forward, I’ll strive hard to bring even more new stories to everyone.
DN: Do you read works in English? What are some of your favorite books, any language?
FTYX: Yes, I can read English novels as long as they’re not too difficult. I can manage YA novels, but authors like James Joyce are too challenging for me, so I usually read works that have been translated to Chinese. One of my favorite authors is Ernest Hemingway; his The Snows of Kilimanjaro left a deep impression on me when I was younger. My new work this year, the third installment in the Jiangdong City series (Li Xiang Zhi Cheng), is built around allusions to The Snows of Kilimanjaro.
DN: We hesitate to ask about a favorite child, but is there a series of yours you are particularly proud of or enjoy? How about a scene or moment in your work that you’re especially proud of or emotionally attached to?
AZ: I think that to an author, every work holds a special place in their heart. After all, they poured all their passion into it during the creative process. That said, though, some series do indeed demand more from me mentally. The Exorcism series, for example, is longer and has more foreshadowing throughout, so I’ve put quite a lot of effort into it! Looking back on the writing process, I’m sometimes amazed by how much I have written.
One scene that particularly resonates with me is from Dinghai Fusheng Records, where Xiang Shu and Chen Xing went skiing in Chi Le Chuan. Another is a scene in Qingping Menghua Lu, the newest work in the Exorcism series set in the Song dynasty, in which the protagonist Xiang Xian—carrying memories of past dreams that are also rewritten strands of destiny —plummeted from a great height, returned to his body, and awakened with a vivid sensation of falling.
DN: Do you read the official translations of your work?
AZ: Yes, I do! Reading my translated works is a fascinating experience. I still remember many scenes vividly, but the English novels bring a very fresh perspective to the stories. I’d like to thank all the translators and editors who worked on my books. The original versions in Chinese often have awkward phrasing , grammatical errors, and repetition, but the translators and editors worked their magic and transformed them into polished prose without altering the essence of the story! They’ve made the stories better, and for that, I’m very grateful!
DN: What kind of research do you do for your historical works? Are there any time periods that particularly inspire you?
FTYX: Writing historical fiction requires extensive and meticulous preparation. This includes working out the chronological timeline, researching historical documents to identify changes and the impacts major historical events had on entire regions, and studying the biographies of historical figures to understand them as much as possible. However, all plots and character development are tailored to meet the needs of the novel as a storytelling medium. Sometimes, I do my research as I write, focusing on the central conflict of the story as a guiding principle.
I prefer eras marked by intense warfare and national strife, such as the decline of the prosperous Tang Dynasty in Legend of Exorcism, the upheaval of the Five Hu in Dinghai Fusheng Records, and the Jingkang Incident triggered by the Jin cavalry’s southward invasion in Qingping Menghua Records. Others like Joyful Reunion are set in a fictional warring dynasty based on the Southern and Northern Song periods, while Shan You Mu Xi is modeled upon the “Age of Great Contention” during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period. It is in these eras that human nature can shine in all its brilliance.
DN: Your works often feature romance between characters with contrasting social backgrounds, temperaments, and even species. What’s your preferred type of couple to write?
FTYX: Contrast is the source of contradictions and conflicts between lovers, and often, it will also shift our focus to the essence of “love” itself. When you strip away social status, personal interests, and other pragmatic influences and considerations, peeling back layer after layer of disguises, all that will remain is two sincere hearts.
Personally, I prefer traditional pairings with an older brother figure as the top and a younger man as the bottom. Recently, though, I have also been experimenting with more diverse pairings.
DN: Is there anything else you’d like to say to your global English readership?
FTYX: I’m very happy everyone can step into the worlds in my books—they have now become part of your universe too. Moving forward, I’ll bring more reading experiences to you. Thank you, dear readers, for your support all this time! I’ll keep writing!
DanmeiNews would again like to thank Fei Tian Ye Xiang for the interview, Seven Seas Entertainment for arranging the opportunity, and Y. Yang for their translation work.
You can learn more about Fei Tian Ye Xiang’s English danmei works and where to read them in our site catalog:
- Astrolabe Rebirth
- Dinghai Fusheng Records
- Joyful Reunion
- Legend of Exorcism
- Riverbay Road Men’s Dormitory
- Seizing Dreams
- To Rule in a Turbulent World
- Twin Jades of Jiangdong
Original Interview Transcript
Our original interview with Fei Tian Ye Xiang was conducted in Chinese before being translated to English for publication on DanmeiNews.com. The original question and answers are presented below:
DN: 您好！我们是DanmeiNews，一个专注于分享官方授权的英语耽美作品相关新闻，并探讨各类耽美话题的网站。我们的团队由耽美爱好者、译者以及出版行业的专业人士组成。大家多年来一直热爱耽美，并且非常欣赏您的作品。感谢您今日拨冗接受我们的采访，我们深感荣幸。
首先，您能否向那些可能还不太熟悉您的读者自我介绍一下？
FTYX: 您好！感谢DanmeiNews提供这个机会！也很高兴能向英文读者们介绍我自己！在这个采访中，我将使用我的第一语言而非英语进行回答，以最大限度地表达我的本意。
我是非天夜翔（Arise Zhang），耽美作家，2008年开始在晋江文学城发表小说作品，迄今十七年，使用我的母语中文进行创作。
我喜欢奇幻、历史与星际科幻类故事，喜欢玩电子游戏，日常生活中，我时常沉湎于脱离现实之外的虚构与幻想，写作就像进入书中世界，去与主角们一同经历了波澜壮阔的人生，就像读者从小说里获得奇特的体验，并拉长了人生的广度，作者也希望用写作的方式来经历更多，工作以后，尝试着在业余时间将幻想中的故事发表与呈现，蒙各位厚爱，得以与各位分享，是写作者的荣幸！
DN: 您最近在英文市场发布的系列作品之一是《江湾路七号男子宿舍》。一些读者觉得这部作品在许多方面与其他知名耽美作品有所不同，例如它极为坦率地探讨了酷儿身份与性取向议题，并在配角及其支线叙事上不吝笔墨。您在写这本小说的时候，是为某个特定的读者群体创作的吗？
FTYX:《江湾路七号男子宿舍》并非我第一本取材于LGBT+的小说，在中文市场里，2012年有《北城天街》讲述HIV携带者的恋爱，以及《下流社会》讲述反社会人格与欺骗的故事，其中后者尚未找到合适的平台进行发表。
《江湾路》较之耽美小说，我认为它更像同志日常生活的观察与呈现。当然，作为小说，我在故事中作了许多人物上的修饰，尽量让它更具可读性。
最初这本书诞生的念头源自于我的一个制片人朋友在讨论出版小说的难度，以及小说需要担任什么样的社会职责与功能，又有一位导演朋友曾提及对人物的观察与将自己的住房租给特定对象，以接触，理解对方生活的异想天开的看法，于是就有了故事主角张宇文，与他为了出版一本书的梦想而作出的努力与挣扎。
其实在构思时我并未有非常明晰的，展现G（Gay）群体的想法，最开始只是将它当做《同志亦凡人》（Queer as Folk）又或G版《老友记》（Friends）般的生活喜剧，但随着情节展开，人物的行为开始自行发展，他们就像拥有了各自的意志，不再受作者的摆布，故事慢慢地朝着另一个方向在发展，每个角色都有自己的理想，这些理想只是大都市中，诸多普通人真实的，平凡的“我要自立““我要成为自己”“我要过得更好”这些被翻来覆去讨论过许多次的主题，没有国家、宇宙与星海等宏大的背景，也没有生离死别的考验，只有生活与在生活中诞生的许多小小矛盾、愿望。
但它们仍然显得真实、珍贵而令人物充满魅力，于是到了最后，它化作了一个展现边缘人群小小愿望的寄托。我非常高兴Seven Seas选择出版这本书，这是我在进行投稿时，唯一的一本未曾在网络上发表过的小说，《江湾路》也是我很喜欢的故事。
DN: 在《江湾路七号男子宿舍》中，角色郑维泽对自己的性别认同感到困惑，甚至提到自己在青少年时期曾服用过黑市购买的雌激素片。您在构思这条故事线时，最初的灵感来源是什么？
FTYX: 最初的灵感是我的一位希望改变性别，但长时间受阻的朋友，通过他我结识了许多“T”(Transgender)群体中的朋友，他们有一些完成了自己的心愿，另一些则受困于家庭，社会关系等诸多原因，只作出了有限的尝试。所以在《江湾路》中，我将许多感触凝聚在郑维泽的身上，包括他的爱情，他的欲望与对自我的看法。通过他在这个屋檐下的生活，来尝试着予以他一个美好的结局，但也许就像前面所言，角色不愿意被作者安排，于是他成为自我之后，也选择了未来的道路。
在中文环境中，T群体不像在英语环境内获得较为宽容的接受和认同，我认为维泽的处境更像一段时间以前，英语环境中的遭遇。英语读者能够理解他，包容他，而非觉得这种精神挣扎显得过时，这令我非常意外，也非常高兴。
DN: 您最初于2023年在NovelUpdates上以英文连载了《江湾路七号男子宿舍》。您当初为什么会选择亲自翻译这部作品呢？
FTYX: 我一直希望可以使用多种语言创作，这样能体验到第二、第三语言所蕴含的文化环境，语境与文本中的魅力，小时候我也曾憧憬过自己能成为一名翻译者，这样就能读到许多有趣的故事，再把它翻译为中文。
因这个兴趣使然，2023年我尝试着用英文来讲述，但只写了三章，我就发现自己的英文水平尚不足以支持小说创作，我仍需要更多，更长时间的练习。所以我改变了想法，打算先以中文写完它，再尝试翻译。然而很快，我发现这个想法也显得很不明智，我的词汇量与句子水平都与翻译家相去甚远，而且习惯了中文句子与语法创作后，语感不强。后来我退而求其次，大部分求助于chatgpt提供我更多詞彙量，再寻找一位翻译老师协助我进行校正，最后我通过阅读与修改，来完成学习过程。
在此特别感谢“葡萄”与“刘念”，她们协助我翻译了这个故事并作了发布，教会我许多。希望有一天，我能用非母语来写作小说，并带给大家新的体验。
DN: 在七海（Seven Seas）和呆鹅（Via Lactea）正式授权之前，您是否就已经知晓自己在西方拥有众多粉丝了？事实上，自《天宝伏妖录》与《定海浮生录》的动画推出官方英文版后，您的作品就已赢得了全球大量读者的喜爱。&
FTYX: 从前我不知道！我的海外版权经纪人在某一天告诉我NovelUpdates上有我的小说的英文翻译，让我很惊讶。先前我不知道《天宝伏妖录》的动画在海外上映，在流媒体上看见它时非常开心。翻译后的小说能获得读者的喜爱，这是对作者的极大认同，从此更坚定了故事本身能跨越语言、文化的隔阂的想法。
DN: 您近期有多部作品进入英语市场，除了《江湾路七号男子宿舍》和《星盘重启》外，其他如《天宝伏妖录》、《定海浮生录》、《相见欢》、《乱世为王》等均为古风奇幻类型。您有没有察觉到中文读者和英文读者在阅读偏好上有所不同？
FTYX: 东西方的故事拥有不同的背景，它们在不同的土壤上诞生，英文读者阅读东方奇幻，也许就像东方读者阅读《魔戒》(The Lord of the Rings)《哈利波特》(Harry Potter)的感受。大家喜欢古代东方背景的故事，也许因为认为它充满了神秘感。
我在写作时也有此感受，云雾笼罩的皑皑山峦，隐藏于世上的刺客组织，又或是那些古老的，迄今仍流转于我们血脉中的传说与秘闻，《山海经》中的妖怪，修仙门派中驾驭飞剑穿梭来去，与“侠”思想，它们都带着浓厚的浪漫主义色彩。
在阅读偏好上，我认为中文读者与英文读者并无太大的不同，因为在中文市场上，大家也会偏好这些浪漫的故事，也许“耽美”本身就是我们在现世里未能实现的，内心浪漫情怀的折射吧！
DN: 您拥有超过十五年的创作经验，涉猎题材广泛，并在新的市场中取得了显著成绩。展望未来，您是否有特别想尝试的新类型或题材？
FTYX: 写作已经成为我生活的一部分。对作者而言，获得写作的权力是幸福的，也要感谢我无论中英文的读者，赋予我的这项权力。我确实希望尝试更多，更广泛的题材，中文市场充满了各种各样新奇的设定，像“无限流”“系统文”“ABO”等等，相信各位也从其他作者的被翻译作品中读到。未来我会努力把更多的新作带给大家。
DN: 您读英文小说吗？有没有特别喜爱的作品？
FTYX: 是的，不太难读的英文小说我可以阅读原版，青少年读物完全可以胜任，像乔伊斯(James Joyce)等作家对我来说就太难了，平时阅读还是以翻译版居多。我最喜欢的英文作家之一是海明威(Ernest Hemingway)，他的《乞力马扎罗的雪》（The Snows of Kilimanjaro）在很小时便令我印象深刻，今年的新作品，江东市系列第三部：《理想之城》，便是围绕着乞力马扎罗的雪的暗示所展开。
DN: 在您所有的作品中，是否有哪个系列是您特别喜欢或引以为傲的？有没有哪个片段让您印象特别深刻或者特别触动？
FTYX: 我想对于作者来说，每一本作品都是他“特别喜欢”的，毕竟在创作过程里，他都倾注了全部的热情。但就每本书创作而言，有些系列确实耗费了我更多的精神。像《驱魔师》这个系列，它的字数更长，前后伏笔也更多，可以说付出了大量精力吧！回顾写作的过程，我有时自己也惊讶于居然写了这么多。
令我触动的片段，我想我很喜欢项述与陈星在敕勒川上滑雪的场景，以及这个系列的新作，以“宋”为背景的《清平梦华录》中，主角项弦带着过往梦境也是重构后的命运线，从万丈高空坠落，回到身躯中，以坠落感瞬间醒来的一幕。
DN: 您会阅读自己作品的官方译本吗？
FTYX: 是的，会的！阅读译本是很奇特的体验，我分明记得许多情节，但在英文小说里却呈现出了另一种很新鲜的观感。在此处我一定要感谢所有的翻译者与责任编辑老师，因为在原版的小说中会出现语病，文法错误以及词汇复用，翻译与责编老师们化腐朽为神奇地帮我进行了不改变故事本身的修正！他们令故事变得更好了，非常感谢！
DN: 您在创作历史类作品时通常会做哪些研究？有没有哪个时代特别能激发您的灵感？
FTYX: 在写历史题材上需要作大量详细的准备，包括纵向梳理时间线，在文献中寻找大事件发生时整个区域所产生的变动与深刻的影响，以及阅读历史人物传记，尽可能地理解他们。但一切情节、人物塑造都是围绕着“小说”这个载体而展开的，有时也会边写边进行查阅，以小说的基本矛盾为主。
从时代上看，我更喜欢那些有剧烈交战，国家矛盾冲突剧烈且明显的时期，像《天宝伏妖录》的盛唐倾颓，《定海浮生录》中的五胡乱华，其后的《清平梦华录》则是金国铁骑南下引发的靖康之难。像《相见欢》则是以南北宋为基础虚构出的架空混战朝代，《山有木兮》以春秋战国的“大争之世”作为原型。在这些朝代中，人性能绽放出绚烂的光辉。
DN: 您的作品中经常出现社会背景、性格甚至物种差异很大的角色之间的爱情故事。在创作情侣角色时，您更喜欢描写什么样的CP组合呢？
FTYX: 反差感将提供爱人之间的矛盾、冲突的根源，许多时候也会让我们的注意力转移到“爱”的本质上来。摒弃社会地位、利益等诸多现实社会我们习惯性去考量的影响，一层层地剥去伪装，留下的只有两颗真心。
我个人偏爱的cp，从前一直是年上兄长与少年的传统类型，但最近也会尝试写更多不一样的cp类型。
DN: 您还有什么想对全球的英文读者说的话吗？
FTYX: 很高兴大家能到书中来做客，它们也已成为你的世界。未来我将带给各位更多的体验，谢谢所有的读者，一直以来对我的支持！我会写下去的！
