Chinese AI Image Generation: Complete API Guide 2026

July 29, 2026 · 10 min read

Chinese tech companies have quietly built some of the most capable and cost-effective image generation models in the world. While DALL-E 3 and Midjourney dominate Western mindshare, models from ByteDance, Baidu, and Tencent are 5-10x cheaper and often produce comparable or superior results — especially for certain styles and use cases.

This guide covers every major Chinese image generation API available in 2026: how they compare, pricing, setup instructions, and production-ready code examples.

Model Overview

Chinese image models cost 1/5 to 1/10 of DALL-E 3 per image. At scale — generating 10,000 images/month — this saves $600-$1,000+ compared to OpenAI.

Doubao Image 3 (ByteDance)

Doubao Image 3 is ByteDance's latest image generation model, trained on one of the largest image datasets in the world (powered by Douyin/TikTok's content ecosystem). It excels at photorealistic portraits, product photography, and lifestyle imagery.

Code Example

import requests
import base64

API_KEY = "your-aiwave-key"
API_URL = "https://api.aiwave.live/v1/images/generations"

payload = {
    "model": "doubao-image-3",
    "prompt": "Professional product photo of a wireless headphone on a clean white background, studio lighting, 4K",
    "n": 1,
    "size": "1024x1024",
    "quality": "hd"
}

headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.post(API_URL, json=payload, headers=headers)
data = response.json()

# Save the image
image_url = data["data"][0]["url"]
img_response = requests.get(image_url)
with open("headphone.png", "wb") as f:
    f.write(img_response.content)
print("Image saved!")

Hunyuan Image 2 (Tencent)

Tencent's Hunyuan Image 2 is the best choice for artistic, illustrative, and anime-style images. It's trained on Tencent's extensive gaming and entertainment IP datasets, giving it a distinctive creative edge.

import requests

payload = {
    "model": "hunyuan-image-2",
    "prompt": "A cyberpunk city at sunset, neon signs in Chinese and English, rain-slicked streets, cinematic lighting, ultra detailed",
    "n": 1,
    "size": "1024x1024"
}

headers = {
    "Authorization": "Bearer your-aiwave-key",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.aiwave.live/v1/images/generations",
    json=payload,
    headers=headers
)
print(response.json()["data"][0]["url"])

ERNIE Image 5 (Baidu)

Baidu's ERNIE Image 5 has a unique strength: rendering accurate text within images. This makes it the go-to choice for generating social media graphics, infographics, posters, and any image that needs readable text.

payload = {
    "model": "ernie-image-5",
    "prompt": "A modern social media post template for a coffee shop. Text says 'Morning Brew - 50% Off This Weekend' in elegant serif font on a warm background with coffee beans",
    "n": 1,
    "size": "1024x1024"
}

Production Patterns

Batch Generation

def generate_batch(prompts: list[str], model: str = "doubao-image-3") -> list[str]:
    """Generate images for multiple prompts."""
    urls = []
    for prompt in prompts:
        response = requests.post(
            "https://api.aiwave.live/v1/images/generations",
            json={"model": model, "prompt": prompt, "n": 1, "size": "1024x1024"},
            headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}", "Content-Type": "application/json"}
        )
        urls.append(response.json()["data"][0]["url"])
    return urls

# Generate 10 product images
categories = ["headphones", "keyboard", "mouse", "monitor", "webcam",
             "speakers", "microphone", "desk lamp", "charger", "cable"]
prompts = [f"Professional product photo of {c} on white background, studio lighting" for c in categories]
urls = generate_batch(prompts)

Image Editing

# Edit an existing image with a text prompt
payload = {
    "model": "hunyuan-image-2",
    "prompt": "Change the background to a beach sunset",
    "image": image_url,  # URL of the source image
    "n": 1,
    "size": "1024x1024"
}

Cost Comparison at Scale

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Chinese AI image generation model is best?

For photorealism, Doubao (ByteDance) leads. For artistic styles, Hunyuan (Tencent) excels. For text rendering in images, ERNIE 5.1 (Baidu) is strongest. All are available through AIWave at 1/5 to 1/10 the cost of DALL-E 3.

Can I use Chinese image models without a Chinese phone number?

Yes, through AIWave. You get OpenAI-compatible access to Doubao, Hunyuan, ERNIE Image, and more with just an email signup. No Chinese phone number or payment method required.

What resolutions do Chinese image models support?

Most Chinese image models support 1024×1024 by default, with some supporting additional sizes like 512×512, 768×768, 1024×1536, and 1536×1024. Check the AIWave model docs for specifics.