Kiriyama Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 12 (2004) Winner
Shan Sa (Yan Ni)
シャンサ（ヤン ニ）
Shan Sa (Yan Ni)
Pen Names:
Shan Sa（Pseudonym taken from a poem by the Tang poet Bai Juyi）
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1972-10-26 （Beijing, China）
- Nationality
- China, France (naturalized)
- Languages
- Chinese (Mandarin), French, English
- Residence History
- Beijing, China → Paris, France
Career
- Occupations
- author, painter
- Active Years
- 1980-
- Influenced By
- Bai Juyi (Tang dynasty poet; source of pen name), Balthus (artistic influence through work as his secretary)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sorbonne University | Philosophy | — | — | 1990–1994 | France |
Sorbonne University
Philosophy
Period:
1990–1994
Year of Graduation:
1994
Country:
France
Completed studies in philosophy
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Prix Goncourt du Premier Roman | Porte de la paix céleste (Gate of Celestial Peace) | — | French literary institutions | 受賞 |
| 1999 | Prix Cazes–Brasserie Lipp | Les Quatre Vies du saule (The Four Lives of the Willow) | — | Brasserie Lipp (France) | 受賞 |
| 2001 | Prix Goncourt des Lycéens | La Joueuse de Go (The Girl Who Played Go) | — | French high-school students jury | 受賞 |
| 2004 | Kiriyama Prize for Fiction | La Joueuse de Go (The Girl Who Played Go) | — | Kiriyama Prize (United States) | 受賞 |
| 2009 | Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Chevalier) | — | — | Ministry of Culture, France | 叙勲（シュヴァリエ） |
| 2011 | Ordre national du Mérite (Chevalier) | — | — | Government of France | 叙勲（シュヴァリエ） |
Prix Goncourt du Premier Roman
1998
Work:
Porte de la paix céleste (Gate of Celestial Peace)
Organization:
French literary institutions
Result:
受賞
Prix Cazes–Brasserie Lipp
1999
Work:
Les Quatre Vies du saule (The Four Lives of the Willow)
Organization:
Brasserie Lipp (France)
Result:
受賞
Prix Goncourt des Lycéens
2001
Work:
La Joueuse de Go (The Girl Who Played Go)
Organization:
French high-school students jury
Result:
受賞
Kiriyama Prize for Fiction
2004
Work:
La Joueuse de Go (The Girl Who Played Go)
Organization:
Kiriyama Prize (United States)
Result:
受賞
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Chevalier)
2009
Organization:
Ministry of Culture, France
Result:
叙勲（シュヴァリエ）
Ordre national du Mérite (Chevalier)
2011
Organization:
Government of France
Result:
叙勲（シュヴァリエ）
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Yan Ni's Poems
1983 PoetryA poetry collection published in her childhood; known for being released when the author was eight.
childhoodpoetic sensibility
Porte de la paix céleste (Gate of Celestial Peace)
1997 NovelHer first novel which received critical attention and won the 1998 Prix Goncourt du Premier Roman.
historymemory
Les Quatre Vies du saule (The Four Lives of the Willow)
1999 NovelPublished in 1999; received critical praise in France and won the Prix Cazes–Brasserie Lipp.
human relationshipsfate
La Joueuse de Go (The Girl Who Played Go)
2001 Historical novel / RomanceA novel set in wartime Beijing about two lives intertwined through the game of Go. It was translated into many languages and won the 2001 Prix Goncourt des Lycéens.
warlove and fatecultural clash
Translations
- Translated into 32 languages, including English
Impératrice (Empress)
2003 Historical novelA historical novel inspired by the life of Empress Wu; appeared in English as Empress.
powerwomen's fatecourt
Les Conspirateurs (Conspirators)
2005 NovelA 2005 novel dealing with conspiracies and interpersonal dynamics.
conspiracypower struggles
Alexandre et Alestria (Alexander and Alestria)
2006 NovelPublished in 2006; a story using historical motifs or a partly fictional world.
historicityadventure
La Cithare nue (The Ghost Empress)
2010 NovelPublished in 2010; contains historical and fantastical elements.
fantasyhistory
Bibliography
- Yan Ni's Poems (1983)
- Porte de la paix céleste (1997)
- Les Quatre Vies du saule (1999)
- La Joueuse de Go (2001)
- Impératrice (2003)
- Les Conspirateurs (2005)
- Alexandre et Alestria (2006)
- La Cithare nue (2010)
Translations of Works
- La Joueuse de Go (The Girl Who Played Go) has been translated into 32 languages, including English.
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- poetic, lyrical proseblending of history and personal memory
- Recurring Motifs
- memory and losswomen's fateculture and identityrelationships mediated by art or the game of Go
Legacy
A writer and painter highly regarded in the Francophone world and translated internationally. The Girl Who Played Go achieved wide readership and recognition, including awards chosen by young readers, attracting attention in educational contexts.
Archives
- Wikimedia Commons category for Shan Sa
In Popular Culture
- The Girl Who Played Go has been included in school reading lists and introduced through international translations.
Trivia
- Birth name Yan Ni.
- Pen name taken from a poem by Tang poet Bai Juyi.
- Published a poetry collection at age eight and won a national poetry prize for children.
- Moved to Paris in 1990 with a French government grant and studied philosophy at the Sorbonne.
- Worked as secretary to painter Balthus from 1994 to 1996.
- La Joueuse de Go (The Girl Who Played Go) was translated into many languages and won the 2001 Prix Goncourt des Lycéens.