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Nobel Prize Judges Intend to Play up to Chinese Literature Market

Author  :       Source  :        2013-10-19

The Swedish Academy announced that the Noble Prize for Literature of 2012 was granted to Mo Yan, a Chinese writer. Mo thus becomes the first Nobel Prize laureate to hold Chinese nationality. Bai Ye, a famous literature critic in China, made the following comments in an interview with a reporter from ifeng.com:

I learned the news a few minutes ago. I should express my congratulations first. Above all, it’s the first time a writer from China wins the prize. It’s unexpected, but within the bounds of reason. “Unexpected” means that I feel it has really taken a long time for the world to understand and recognize Chinese literature. “Within the bounds of reason” means that it makes me feel Chinese writers do have been qualified to get the prize. However, it also seems to me that Mo Yan’s laurel does show there might be some changes of the standards for appraisal. Before, the focus was more on a writer’s political independence or on his or her critical attitude toward a political regime. Now, of course, the judges may be influenced by the rapid expansion of the Chinese market in recent years. It may be the case that they couldn’t help playing up to the market to some extent, because it’s quite difficult for them to ignore it.

However, there is one thing we should be clear about: there has never been a literature detached from politics. There are varying relations between politics and literature. Sure, it would be a good thing if the Noble Prize judges had a more tolerant attitude towards the political elements in Chinese writers’ writings, as long as the basic literary standards have been reached.

As to how Chinese writers could become more close to the values of the West and make their works more accepted in the world, I think they should do more to depict the feelings common to mankind instead of being confined to the domestic political order. It would necessitate a range of adjustments in language and narrative. It involves questions such as what to write about and how to write. On the other hand, more effort should be taken to publicize Chinese writers’ works around the world, which would need the support from the Chinese Writers Association and the related departments in the government. It can begin with changes in the way the books are promoted overseas, more investment, and more efforts to find out about international book exhibitions and the market. Of course, you have to spend a lot for first-class translators.

Are the existing political conditions fetters to Chinese writers’ writing? It’s not that grave as some have imagined. Freedom is relative in any country. In China, it can be said that the scope of what writers can write about is very large, as long as you do not involve yourself in writing about state leaders and a few areas such as ethnic groups and religions. That also takes a writer’s skills.

The most significant meaning of Mo’s laurel is thus that the prize judges have broadened the political yardstick used in their appraisal. Chinese first-class writers now can go abreast with the first-class writers in the world in terms of abilities. With these two guarantees, I think we could not say there would be no possibility that more Chinese writers win the prize in the future.

Although winning the Nobel Prize is not the only direction and point of reference for Chinese literature, it’s a pleasure for us to have a more opportunities to engage in dialogue with the first-class writers of the world.

As for the prizes set up in China, I feel it is inconvenient for me to comment and there is no comparability between them and the Nobel Prize. It is quite obvious that China’s literary prizes still have the colours of the regime. It is now urgent to set up a non-governmental prize, which is supported by a foundation and aims at encouraging literature in Chinese. Sure, it’s not a business which can be done by a couple of people. And it’s not just a problem of money. There are many awkward issues.

 

 

Bai Ye is a famous literature critic in China.

 

 

Chinese link:

http://culture.ifeng.com/huodong/special/2012nuobeierwenxuejiang/dujia/detail_2012_10/12/18193308_0.shtml

  

 

Translated by Liang Guangyan

Editor: Chen Meina

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