Man Asian Literary Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 1 (2007) Winner
Lü Jiamin (Jiang Rong)
りょ かみん（ジャン ロン）
Lü Jiamin (Jiang Rong)
Pen Names:
Jiang Rong（Pseudonym used when publishing the novel Wolf Totem）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1946-01-01 （Jiangsu Province, China）
- Nationality
- China
- Languages
- Chinese (Standard / Mandarin)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Novelist, Researcher (social sciences), Academic / Lecturer
- Active Years
- 1971-
- Affiliations
- China Labor College (former affiliation)
- Influenced By
- Honoré de Balzac, Leo Tolstoy, Jack London, Jane Austen
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese Academy of Social Sciences | — | — | — | — | China |
| China Labor College | — | — | — | — | China |
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Country:
China
Reportedly entered in 1979. Exact graduation year unknown.
China Labor College
Country:
China
Worked as an associate professor after graduation.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Man Asian Literary Prize | Wolf Totem | — | Man Asian Literary Prize organizers | winner |
Man Asian Literary Prize
2007
Work:
Wolf Totem
Organization:
Man Asian Literary Prize organizers
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Wolf Totem
2004 Novel (nature writing / social critique) 400 pagesSet partly during the Cultural Revolution, the novel follows a protagonist who lived among herders in Inner Mongolia and uses the relationship between wolves and the grassland ecology to explore tensions between the individual and society, modernization and tradition. It is a critique of civilization through nature and addresses themes of cultural identity and environmentalism.
human–nature relationsnomadic cultureindividual vs. societycritique of modernizationecosystems and conservation
Adaptations
- [Film] Wolf Totem / Jean-Jacques Annaud (2015)
Translations
- English translation by Howard Goldblatt
Bibliography
- Wolf Totem (2004)
Adaptations
- Film 'Wolf Totem' (dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud, 2015)
Translations of Works
- English translation by Howard Goldblatt (Penguin, 2008)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- A mix of realistic description and allegorical expressionEmphasis on naturalistic depictionNarrative that incorporates social and political critique
- Recurring Motifs
- wolves and the grasslandnomadic lifepreservation of books and knowledgeindividual freedom
Legacy
Wolf Totem became an international bestseller and is acclaimed for fictionalizing reflections on nature and culture. It won the inaugural Man Asian Literary Prize in 2007 and was later adapted into a film. The author's initial anonymity, political stance, and issues around fake sequels and piracy sparked broader cultural debates.
In Popular Culture
- Film adaptation, translated editions, and the novel's themes being cited in environmental and educational discussions
- The author's anonymity and inability to obtain a passport drew international media attention
Quotes
-
I began thinking about the ideas behind Wolf Totem as early as 1971, but only submitted the final draft to my publisher at the end of 2003. One could say I spent half my life writing it.
Source: Interviews / Xinhua and other reports (2004)
Trivia
- His real name is Lü Jiamin, but he long wrote under the pseudonym Jiang Rong.
- Only a handful of people knew his true identity until after his international award.
- After winning the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2007 his photo and real name were published, but he could not attend the ceremony because he was unable to obtain a passport.
- He was a sent-down youth in Inner Mongolia; those experiences greatly influenced his writing.
- He was detained in relation to the 1989 Tiananmen events.