British Book Awards (The Nibbies)
1 appearances
-
Edition 5 (1994) Winner
Jung Chang
ジャン・チャン
Zhāng Róng
Aliases:
Chang Jung / Zhang Rong
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1952-03-25 （Yibin, Sichuan, China）
- Nationality
- British, Chinese
- Languages
- Mandarin, English
- Religion
- Unknown
- Residence History
- Yibin, Sichuan, China → Yorkshire, UK → West London, UK
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Linguist, Lecturer
- Active Years
- 1986-2024
- Affiliations
- School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sichuan University | — | English Department | — | 1973頃 | China |
| University of York | Department of Language | Linguistics | PhD | 1978-1982 | United Kingdom |
Sichuan University
English Department
Period:
1973頃
Country:
China
Studied English, later assistant lecturer
University of York
Department of Language
/ Linguistics
Degree:
PhD
Period:
1978-1982
Year of Graduation:
1982
Country:
United Kingdom
PhD in linguistics; first from PRC to receive PhD from a British university
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) | — | 文学および歴史 | UK Government | 受賞 |
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
2024
Category:
文学および歴史
Organization:
UK Government
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China
1991 Biography/AutobiographyFamily autobiography depicting the lives of three generations of Chinese women across 20th-century upheavals in China. Banned in mainland China, sold over 13 million copies.
Modern Chinese historyFamily sufferingCultural RevolutionCommunism
Translations
- Translated into 37 languages
Bibliography
- Madame Sun Yat-sen: Soong Ching-ling
- Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China
- Mao: The Unknown Story
- Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China
- Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister
- Fly, Wild Swans: My Mother, Myself and China
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Personal narrative styleDetailed historical accountsVivid character portrayals
- Recurring Motifs
- Critique of CCP policiesWomen's perspectives on historySocial change through family stories
Legacy
Chinese-born British author renowned for the global bestseller Wild Swans, banned in China. Her biographies of Mao and Empress Cixi sparked controversy. Appointed CBE in 2024 for services to literature and history.
Quotes
-
The Chinese seemed to be mourning Mao in a heartfelt fashion. But I wondered how many of their tears were genuine. People had practiced acting to such a degree that they confused it with their true feelings. Weeping for Mao was perhaps just another programmed act in their programmed lives.
Source: Wild Swans (1991)
Trivia
- Originally named Er-hong ('Second Swan'), changed at age 12 to 'Jung' (martial) at her request.
- Joined Red Guards at 14 but left soon due to violence.
- Worked as peasant, barefoot doctor, steelworker, and electrician during Cultural Revolution.