SEX and gore are banned, replaced with ancient myths whose benevolent heroes will help to wean teenagers off their favourite violent computer games.

That, at least, is the wish of the Chinese Government, which has earmarked more than £150 million to nurture an indigenous programming community to produce home-grown electronic entertainment.

An initial batch of 100 games has been commissioned concentrating on Chinese literary classics, national myths and stories of Chinese adventurers. As well as promoting domestic industry, the programme will, it is hoped, foster a sense of patriotism among the young and help their education.

Nearly 50 companies have joined the four-year programme, attracted by tax breaks and cheap loans, according to Yu Yongzhan, deputy director of the Press and Publication Administration.

The drive comes after the announcement last month of a government initiative to support the “healthy” use of online facilities, a programme welcomed by many parents.

Chen Li, an insurance saleswoman and the mother of a 14-year-old boy, said: “My son plays robber and killer computer games whenever he has time. I’m quite worried. If I can’t stop him playing games, maybe it will be helpful if there are healthy games.”

China’s youth, however, seems less enthusiastic. At the Moke Internet Café in Beijing, some teenagers have played early versions of the non-violent games.

Chen Di, 15, said: “I played one domestic game, but it wasn’t very interesting. The animation was poor. I stopped playing very quickly. I like foreign games much better.”

His friend, Zhao Peng, 16, said: “Domestic games are not violent, but not interesting, either. I prefer the killing games. They feel very real. They are very stimulating, too.”

China’s 200 million youngsters are considered to be one of the world’s most promising markets for online games, with predicted annual revenues of £700 million by 2006.

One of the national myths that the games’ creators will use is the story of Lei Feng, a communist icon who worked himself to death in China’s bitterly cold north east. Every Chinese child can recite details of his altruistic deeds and how later he was elevated to the pantheon of the Communist Party.

Also to be used is the story of Zheng He, the Chinese general and naval explorer, whose armada is said to have reached America 72 years before Columbus. A third is Li Shizhen, a Ming dynasty doctor, who travelled across China to collect rare herbs.

Huang Hua, of the company Netease, which will market the games, said: “We hope our games will enable players to understand our beautiful motherland, her culture and her landscape. Though computer games are a kind of entertainment, we hope it can help children’s education, too. So far, most of the games in use are imported from Japan, Korea and Western countries. As a Chinese, I feel this is a great pity. It’s like being invaded mentally.”

The country’s Professional Commission on Online Games will build a server of suitable games, recommending “healthy games to juveniles as an effort to clean up young people’s online environment”. It will also rate online games according to their levels of “pornography, violence, horror, social morality and cultural implications”.

China is the world’s most-wired country, measured by the number of computer and mobile phone users.

However, ever since the banned Falun Gong spiritual group used e-mails and text messaging to organise mass protests, Beijing has been worried about the impact of technology on its rule.

Mr Huang, of Netease, said: “Many children lack guidance. They don’t understand that computer games are only one kind of entertainment, not their life.

“Twenty years ago, when television first appeared in China, children watched TV all day long. Now parents, society and US businessmen should provide the youngsters with the correct guidance.”

The Generals of Yang’s Family: This game will be performed in the style of an opera. General Yang has seven sons and two daughters who give their lives fighting invaders. The aim? To demonstrate the virtues of unwavering patriotism and sacrifice

Explore World News

• World Agenda

• Iraq News

• US & Americas News

• Europe News

• Middle East News

• Asia News

• Africa News

• Ireland News

Times Recommends

• Thousands of Tamils dying in 'welfare camp'
• Jackson 'rebuilt his nose before he died'
• Renewed Iran protests crushed by militia