ZHANG WEI: A MORE
DETAILED INTRODUCTION
作者更多情况
Born in 1956 in the small seaside town of Longkou (Dragon
Mouth) in Shangdong Province, China, Zhang Wei spent
his early years in a forested area in that area. Much
under the influence of his family, he began writing
at an early age. He published his long poem “Visiting
the Bugler” when he was seventeen. In order to
escape his family's political difficulties, he left
home to wander the Shandong peninsula alone for many
years. In 1979 he was enrolled in the Chinese Department
of Yantai Normal Institute of Shangdong Province to
study creative writing. Since then he has published
over seventy individual volumes of various kinds of
writings, including novels, poems, prose, and essays.
A conscientious and assiduous writer, Zhang Wei has
shadings of strong romanticism and idealism in addition
to a nearly mystical affection for nature.
In 1982, he won his first national literary prize. Since
then he has been awarded more than thirty important
national and international literary prizes. This has
made him one of China's most influential and most prominent
authors. In 1987, Zhang Wei moved to live in a small
cottage on the outskirts of Longkou where he lived with
his aged mother for over five years. During that time
he submerged himself primarily in writing September's
Fable, a novel that has significant impact on the Chinese
literary scene. Focusing on writing rather than fanfare,
Zhang Wei has always been trying to avoid publicity
and associations. He rarely makes public appearances.
Among the heavyweight Chinese authors he is the one
and perhaps the only “hermit.”
But Zhang Wei has always been the focal point of the
Chinese literary scene. Virtually every three or four
years since 1984 the Chinese literary circle would have
a round of discussion and debate over Zhang Wei and
his writings. Given his importance, it would be hard
to imagine contemporary Chinese literature without Zhang
Wei.
ZHANG WEI: MAJOR HONORS AND AWARDS
1) In a survey conducted in 2000 among one hundred Chinese
literary critics for "The Ten Most Important Chinese
Writers of the 1990s," Zhang Wei was on the list.
In the same survey for "The Ten Most Important
Chinese Literary Works of the 1990s," Zhang Wei's
novel September's Fable was on the list.
2) Ancient Boat, top 100 Chinese novels in the 20th
Century, Asia Weekly, 2000
3) September's Fable, the best novel award, Chinese
Writers' Association and China News, 1998
4) Selected Writings of Zhang Wei, the best book award,
Shangdong Province, 1997
5) In 1996 with the "Most Favored Authors Survey"
conducted by the national "New China Digest"
and "People's Press," Zhang Wei ranked the
second.
6) In 1996, over three thousand novels published in
Mainland China between 1985 and 1995 were evaluated
for literary prizes. Zhang Wei was the only author who
had two novels – Ancient Boat and September's
Fable – among the top twenty.
7) September's Fable, the first prize for novel, the
Grand awards for best novels and novellas published
in Shanghai, 1994
8) "The Autumn of Wrath," the best novella
award, Novella Magazine, 1986
9) "A Pool of Clear Water," the best short
story award, the Chinese Writers' Association, 1984
10) "Voice," the best short story award, the
Chinese Writers' Association, 1982
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