Lu Xun Literary Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 1 (1995) Winner
Ah Cheng
アーチェン
Zhong Acheng
Aliases:
Zhong Acheng (鍾阿城) / 钟阿城
Pen Names:
Ah Cheng（Used as a pen name for his literary and screenwriting work）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1949-04-05 （Beijing, China）
- Nationality
- China
- Languages
- Chinese
- Residence History
- Beijing, China → Yunnan, China → United States (resident for a period)
Career
- Occupations
- author, screenwriter
- Active Years
- 1984-
- Influenced By
- Chinese classical literature and Western classics
- Influenced
- Mo Yan, Wang Shuo, Chu Tien-wen
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Writing Program (participant) | — | — | — | — | — |
International Writing Program (participant)
Recorded as a participant in the International Writing Program (short-term/visiting)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | International Nonino Prize | — | — | Nonino | 受賞 |
International Nonino Prize
1992
Organization:
Nonino
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Chess Master
1984 NovellaA novella set in rural Yunnan that portrays human skill and spirit through the figure of a master at chess (weiqi/go).
Xungen (root-seeking) movementRural life during/after the Cultural RevolutionTradition vs. the individual
Translations
- English translation: included in collections such as Three Kings (translated into English)
The King of Trees
1985 Short/NovellaOne of the three stories commonly collected under The King of Trees; it depicts regional memory and individual ties through folklore and nature.
Folk traditionNature and human relationshipCultural identity
Translations
- English translation: The King of Trees (collected and published by New Directions, 2010)
The King of Children
1985 NovellaA story centered on schools and children that addresses education, authority, and individual development.
Education and authorityComing of age and storytellingCollective memory
Adaptations
- [Film] King of the Children / Chen Kaige (1988)
Translations
- English translation: The King of Children (included in English collections)
Bibliography
- The Chess Master (1984)
- The King of Trees (1985)
- The King of Children (1985)
- Unfilled Graves (publication details unclear)
- Three Kings: Three Stories from Today's China (trans. Bonnie McDougall, 1990)
Adaptations
- Film 'King of the Children' (directed by Chen Kaige, 1988)
- Screenplay credits include: Hibiscus Town (1986), Painted Skin (1992), Springtime in a Small Town (2002), The Go Master (2006), The Assassin (2015), etc.
Translations of Works
- Three Kings (trans. Bonnie McDougall, 1990)
- The King of Trees (collected and published in English by New Directions, 2010)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Folkloric, tradition-emphasizing narrative voiceReturn to realismConcise and symbolic description
- Recurring Motifs
- Chess/go and matchesMaster-disciple relationshipsChildren and educationTrees and nature
Legacy
Recognized as a representative of the 1980s 'root-seeking' (xungen) movement, he contributed to the revival of folkloric narrative and regional memory in contemporary Chinese literature. His adaptations and screenwriting also influenced popular culture.
In Popular Culture
- Cinematic adaptations such as Chen Kaige's film 'King of the Children' (1988) helped broaden recognition of his literary work.
Trivia
- His father worked in the CCP Propaganda Bureau and suffered political repercussions after the Hundred Flowers movement.
- During the Cultural Revolution he was sent to Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Yunnan, where he became known as a storyteller.
- In the late 1970s/1980s he was associated with the Stars Group, an avant-garde art collective.
- At the height of his fame he lived in the U.S. and supported himself with manual jobs while continuing to write.