The annual list, which triggers controversy every year among both authors and readers, is based on interviews with major bookstores and publishers throughout the country. The 24-year-old Guo tops this year's list with 11 million yuan (US$1.48 million) in copyright royalties.

Guo's latest novel, "The River of Sorrow," hit shelves in April and sold a record high of one million copies in the first two weeks.

Following Guo on the list is Beijing Normal University Professor Yu Dan. Yu rose to national prominence earlier this year by reinterpreting "The Analects" of Confucius on television, later releasing a book based on her lectures. Her royalties total 10.6 million yuan.

Yi Zhongtian, professor from Xiamen University, also an author and TV personality, comes in third with 6.8 million yuan.

Yu Qiuyu, China's most renowned scholar, writer and professor, also the richest on last year's list, is in the 10th place this time, with his royalties totaling 4.3 million yuan.

The rest of the 21 spots are shared by a mixed bag of other veteran writers and fresh authors, including Wang Shuo (6th; 5 million), Han Han (13th; 3.8 million), Hai Yan (17th; 3.15 million) and Internet writer Zhang Muye (19th; 2.8 million), who wrote the extremely popular online fiction, "Ghost Blows Out the Light."

Well-known literary critic He Sanpo ascribes the commercial success of younger authors to their life experiences rather than their writing. He says their youth helps them produce books that resonate with young readers, who make up a considerable purchasing force.