How Chinese writers celebrate winning the Mao Dun Literature Prize

2015-08-10    Source: Chinadaily.com.cn

 

 

he 9th Mao Dun Literature Prize, one of China's top awards for writing, announced its winners on Sunday. Successful novels and their authors include The Jiangnan Trilogy by Ge Fei; Zhe Bian Feng Jing (Unique Landscape) by Wang Meng; Sheng Ming Ce (A Record of Life) by Li Peifu, Fan Hua (Blooming Flower) by Jin Yucheng and Huang Que Ji (Siskin) by Su Tong.

In addition to the writers and works, people are also interested in the reaction of winners. Let’s take a glimpse at how Chinese writers celebrate winning the Mao Dun Literature Prize.

 

 

At 81, Wang Meng didn’t plan any celebration. [File photo]

 

Wang Meng

The 81-year-old Wang Meng, on vacation in the coastal city Beidaihe, Hebei province, said he did not expect to win with a work that had been "frozen" for 34 years and he won't celebrate that.

"It's really good news. But I have so many works to deal with right now, and I'm 81 years old after all, so I won't celebrate for that," he said.

Since the 1st Mao Dun Literature Prize, Wang was a regular nominee but didn't win a prize for more than 30 years after four nominations.

"Compared with the expectation of my readers, I'm sorry that my work is not good enough this time. But it's still good news to me. I started to write it 40 years ago, and once negated it by myself. After being frozen for 34 years, it was published and accepted, and even won such a prize. That's the most special part of the book," he said.

 

 

Su Tong didn’t know how to spend his bonus. [File photo]

 

Su Tong

One of the representative figures of writers in Southern China, Su Tong told Chinese media that he would drink some wine to celebrate, but had no plan on how to spend the award money.

"It feels good to win the prize. But as an almost aged man, it's impossible to do cartwheels even though I'm very happy. My habit is to drink some good wine if there is good news. About how to deal with the bonus, I really have no idea. Anyway, my wife takes full control of the money," he said.

Su admitted that he was satisfied with his work Huang Que Ji (Siskin), but it involved luck to win the prize.

"I think it's always hard to predict whether one can win a prize or not. You have to accept the result no matter whether it is good or bad. It doesn't mean that there are only five good novels in China in recent years, but the 61 judges prefer our works. There is element of luck," he added.

 

 

Li Peifu smoked more cigarettes and ate stewed noodles to celebrate. [File photo]

Li Peifu

The writer from Henan province who won the prize smoked two more cigarettes and ate Henan stewed noodles for celebration.

Li Peifu told Chinese journalists that he knew the good news through a phone call from the general secretary of the provincial Writers Association. At that moment, he was writing as usual.

"Winning the prize at more than 60 years old, I should be calm. But I feel really happy from the bottom of my heart. I don't write for prizes. I will keep on writing after winning the prize," he said.

 

 

With the most votes, Ge Fei became one of the winners of the 9th Mao Dun Literature Prize. [File photo]

Ge Fei

Although winning the prize with the most votes, Ge Fei kept calm during an interview with Chinese media. He considered it would be an encouragement for all winners but didn't plan special celebrations.

"I'm happy for that, but I won't celebrate. I'm used to leading a simple life. So I ate instant noodles for lunch and porridge for supper with my wife, just like weekdays," he said.

He also told journalists that he was on vacation in Inner Mongolia last week, and got the news when he got off the plane in Beijing.

"I couldn't believe it before I read the news on line. It's the top literature awards in the country. I thought it would be good enough to become one of the top 10 before I went to Inner Mongolia. I spent a lot of effort on the work with more than 600,000 words. So winning the prize means a lot to me," he added.

 

Working as an editor for more than 20 years, Jin Yucheng won with his masterpiece Fan Hua (Blooming Flower). [File photo]

Jin Yucheng

Working as an editor for more than 20 years, Jin Yucheng won several prizes for his masterpiece Fan Hua (Blooming Flower), and earned a nickname as "a lurker in the field of literature" from Chinese critics.

Jin told journalists that in addition to feeling happy, he was full of gratitude to his readers. He published some parts of his work online in 2011 and got lots of favorable comments which deeply moved him.

"Someone writes for art, someone writes for ideals, while I write for my readers wholeheartedly. Even I didn't get any prizes for my work, I've got happiness from my readers," he said.

 

Jia Pingwa burnt joss sticks for his late parents after winning the 7th Mao Dun Literature Prize. [File photo]

Jia Pingwa

Shaanxi writer Jia Pingwa won the 7th Mao Dun Literature Prize in 2008. That day, he burnt joss sticks in front the photo of his parents at home and went to eat pita bread soaked in lamb soup.

Jia told Chinese media that he was very happy to receive the award, but emphasized that the purpose of writing was not for the prize, but for fun and the sense of mission.

"Writers have an unrestrained and vigorous style that brims with talent when they are busy with their writing. However, writers still live in a real world. It's hypocritical if I say I don't care about the prize. So my attitude is that if I win the prize, I will be exited; if not, I won't be daunted. Even if I win the prize, I will keep on writing, because that's the mission in my life and the fun of my life. I love literature and trust my readers for ever," he said.

 

 

Liu Zhenyun bought the most expensive tomatoes to celebrate winning the 8th Mao Dun Literature Prize. [File photo]

 

Liu Zhenyun

Known for 1942 and Shou Ji (the cell phone) which were adapted into blockbusters in China, Liu Zhenyun won the 8th Mao Dun Literature Prize in 2012. When he got the news, he was shopping in a vegetable market.

"I was entangled with buying the cheaper eggplants or more expensive tomatoes at that moment. They told me I'd won the prize and I thought now I have enough money to buy something expensive. So I said to the vendor, 'give me the most expensive tomatoes, one kilo'," he said.

Liu didn't have any other celebration. “I don't think there is any difference from the weekdays. Yes, I win a well-known prize, but the external things won't change my life, my internal mood," he said.

 

 

Mo Yan wished to forget as soon as possible after becoming a winner of the 8th Mao Dun Literature Prize. [File photo]

 

Mo Yan

The 2012 Nobel Literature Prize winner Mo Yan was also a winner of the 8th Mao Dun Literature Prize. He said that year that he wished to forget the award in 10 minutes if possible.

"I always think that if we have other judges, the final list of winners will be different. So I tell myself that I can't get dizzy with success. I wish to forget about it in 10 minutes, though it seems impossible to come into reality now. Anyway, I'll forget it as soon as possible. Maybe in 10 days, maybe in one month," he said.

Mo also said in his acceptance speech that he clearly knew that good novels which matched the times hadn't been written. "Writers should always stare at the end of the road, the place full of thorns. That's the best scenery for us," he said.

 

Lu Yao was short of traveling expenses to accept the 3rd Mao Dun Literature Prize in Beijing. [File photo]

Lu Yao

Different from the prize winners nowadays, Lu Yao, author of the famous work Ordinary World, was worried about his traveling expenses for accepting the award when he won the 3rd Mao Dun Literature Prize in 1988.

In Suffering is his Eternal Companion, a memoir written by Lu’s younger brother Wang Letian, Lu told Wang in a telephone conversation that he didn't have enough money to travel to Beijing. "He told me that he could borrow enough traveling expenses but didn't have money to treat his friends in Beijing. He wished to buy 100 books, his Ordinary World, as gifts for his friends as well. He asked me to help him," Wang wrote in the book.

In 1988, the winners of the prize only received 5,000 yuan (about $604 in 1988) as a bonus. Lu spent most of his on traveling expenses and fees for books. His brother told him:"Please don't win any awards in the future. If you win the Nobel Prize, I can't help to get US dollars then."