Mao Dun Literature Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 7 (2008) Winner
Mai Jia
マイ・ジャ
Mai Jia
Aliases:
蒋本浒 / Jiang Benhu / Jiǎng Běnhǔ
Pen Names:
Mai Jia（Pen name used for publishing novels）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1964-01-01 （Fuyang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China）
- Nationality
- China
- Languages
- Chinese
- Residence History
- Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China → Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Editor (former)
- Active Years
- 1986-
- Affiliations
- Zhejiang Writers Association (President), Zhejiang Literature and Art Association (Vice President), Chengdu Satellite TV (worked as editor)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People's Liberation Army Foreign Language College | — | Wireless radio (major) | — | ～1983 | China |
| People's Liberation Army Arts College | — | Literature | — | 1987–1991 | China |
People's Liberation Army Foreign Language College
Wireless radio (major)
Period:
～1983
Year of Graduation:
1983
Country:
China
Graduated with a major in wireless radio
People's Liberation Army Arts College
Literature
Period:
1987–1991
Year of Graduation:
1991
Country:
China
Completed studies in literature in 1991
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 6th National Book Award | Decoded | — | National awarding organization (China) | 受賞 |
| 2008 | 7th Mao Dun Literature Prize | In the Dark | — | Mao Dun Literature Prize committee (China) | 受賞 |
6th National Book Award
2002
Work:
Decoded
Organization:
National awarding organization (China)
Result:
受賞
7th Mao Dun Literature Prize
2008
Work:
In the Dark
Organization:
Mao Dun Literature Prize committee (China)
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Decoded
2002 Novel (spy/political suspense)A thriller revolving around codebreaking and intelligence operations, emphasizing information warfare and character psychology.
espionagesecrecyidentity and memory
Translations
- English translation by Olivia Milburn & Christopher Payne (2014)
In the Dark
2003 Novel (espionage/suspense)A long novel depicting the maneuvers and betrayals among intelligence officers, notable for psychological detail and tension.
intelligence operationsbetrayalpower conflicts
Translations
- English translation by Olivia Milburn & Christopher Payne (2015)
The Message
2007 Novel (historical/espionage)A story about a spy incident during the period of Japanese occupation, focusing on revenge and psychological warfare.
occupation and resistancepsychological warfareloyalty and betrayal
Adaptations
- [Film] The Message / Chen Kuo-fu, Gao Qunshu (2009)
Translations
- English translation by Olivia Milburn (2020)
The Colonel and the Eunuch
2019 NovelA more recent long novel characterized by a narrative structure that moves between past and present.
memorystate and individualcoming to terms with the past
Translations
- English translation by Dylan Levi King (2023)
Letting the Masked Man Speak
NovellaA novella; an example of the author's shorter fiction style.
mysterymasked identity
Bibliography
- Decoded
- In the Dark
- The Message
- The Colonel and the Eunuch
- Letting the Masked Man Speak
Adaptations
- The Message (film adaptation)
Translations of Works
- Decoded (English translation by Olivia Milburn & Christopher Payne, 2014)
- In the Dark (English translation by Olivia Milburn & Christopher Payne, 2015)
- The Message (English translation by Olivia Milburn, 2020)
- The Colonel and the Eunuch (English translation by Dylan Levi King, 2023)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- A narrative style combining detailed psychological depiction and suspenseRealistic portrayals reflecting military and intelligence expertise
- Recurring Motifs
- espionagesecrecymysteries of identity and memorybetrayal and loyalty
Legacy
A leading writer of espionage and suspense fiction in contemporary Chinese literature. Drawing on military experience and literary training, he is widely praised for works focused on information and psychological warfare. His novels have been adapted for film and translated into multiple languages, gaining international readership.
Academic Societies
- Zhejiang Writers Association
In Popular Culture
- The Message film was popular in China and influenced popular culture
Trivia
- Birth name is Jiang Benhu (Jiǎng Běnhǔ).
- He was drafted into the People's Liberation Army and served for 17 years.
- Served as president of the Zhejiang Writers Association (2013–2018).
- Major works Decoded, In the Dark and The Message are noted for espionage and thriller elements.