Mo Yan has become the first Chinese national to win the Nobel prize for literature.
Mo Yan Image: J. Kolfhaus, Gymn. |
The Shandong-born author, whose real name Guan Moye, won the coveted prize for his unique style of 'hallucinatory-realism', edging out the Japanese favourite Haruki Murakami. Winning the prize, worth 8 million Swedish kroner ($1.19 million came as a shock to the 57 year-old writer, who still lives with his 90 year-old father.
Despite leaving school at the age of twelve, Mo completed his education during his time in the army and published his first book in 1981. His first critically acclaimed work was Hong Gaoliang Jiazu (“Red Sorghum”) 1987, which was adapted into a film by internationally renowned director Zhang Yimou. The film portrayed the horrific events of the Japanese invasion of China in the 1930s.
Mo's later prose moves into the realms of magic realism, depicting peasantry, life in the countryside and people struggling to survive. His powerful storytelling techinque, narrative construction and use of bold and vivid imagery were all deciding factors when choosing him over rivals for the 111 year-old prize.
Peter Englund, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, who delivered the news of Mo's win by phone, claimed he Mo was “overjoyed and scared” at the news.