Fengshan Academy is where Hai'an natives were educated in ancient times. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

Hai'an in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, has in recent days shot to fame as Hai'an writers secured several heavyweight literature prizes in China.

As a county-level city, Hai'an is home to 60 members of the Chinese Writers Association and national literature associations under the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles.

"There are many people who love writing in Hai'an and literature has become part of Hai'an residents' daily lives," noted He Ping, who recently won the eighth Lu Xun Literature Prize.

According to Xu Yong, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Hai'an Municipal Committee, local residents find it more convenient to access books, as numerous 24-hour reading rooms have been widely built in the city.

In addition, authorities have also set aside 20 million yuan ($2.85 million) per year since 2021 to set up a fund for cultural development and published over 30 measures to support cultural industries.