Wang Shuo
| Wang Shuo (王朔) | |
|---|---|
| Native name | 王朔 |
| Born |
August 23, 1958 Nanjing, China |
| Occupation | novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, columnist |
| Language | Chinese |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Period | 1984 – present |
| Genre | novel, satire, romance, comedy detective fiction |
| Literary movement | Post 70s Generation, "Holligan Literature" |
| Notable works | Don't Call Me Human, Playing for Thrills |
Wang Shuo (Chinese: 王朔; pinyin: Wáng Shuò, born August 23, 1958) is a Chinese author, director, actor, and cultural icon. He has written over 20 novels, television series and movies. His work has been translated into Japanese, Spanish, French, English, Italian, and many other languages. He has enormous cultural status in China and has become a nationally celebrated author.
Wang Shuo grew up in an army compound in Beijing. His family was of Manchu ancestry. When he was an adolescent, his parents were sent to the countryside as part of the Cultural Revolution, leaving him and his brother alone in Beijing among other children whose parents were also away. He joined the navy as a medical assistant where he spent four years. He later pursued a career as a writer. Many lines from his works have become popular slang. Recently, Wang turned down an offer from Francis Ford Coppola's production company. In 2007, Wang Shuo became active once again and went on many talk shows. His latest novel earned at three dollars per character (?), a total of 3.65 million RMB. This was a record high in Chinese publishing history.
Despite the frequent controversies surrounding him, Wang Shuo is widely considered to be one of China's most popular and easily recognizable authors, and has been applauded by literary critics.
The New York Times Book Review contributor Sheryl WuDunn comparing Wang to Western literary figures such as Joseph Heller, and Kurt Vonnegut, going so far as to label Wang "China's Kerouac." Chinese author Dai Qing has been quoted as describing Wang Shuo as " one of the finest contemporary writers, someone who can use wit and language to betray several decades of ideology that have been forced upon us, but the Government doesn't fear him because while he destroys, he doesn't create or build. And he is willing to compromise with the Government."
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