Wang Shuo
Encyclopedia
Wang Shuo is a Chinese author
, director
, actor
, and cultural icon. He has written over 20 novels, television series and movies. His work has been translated into Japanese, French, English, Italian, and many other languages. He has enormous cultural status in China and has become a nationally celebrated author.
, his family was of Manchu
ancestry. When he was an adolescent, his parents were sent to the countryside as part of the Cultural Revolution
. He and his brother lived alone in Beijing along with other children of similar background. This period of time is marked by rebellion, fighting and jail. He joined the navy
as a medical assistant where he spent four years. He later pursued a career as a writer. Many lines of his works have become the popular slang of the time. Recently, Wang turned down an offer from Francis Ford Coppola
's production company. In 2007, Wang Shuo became active once again and went on many talk shows. His latest novel sold at three dollars per character (?), a collective of 3.65 million RMB. This is a record high in Chinese publishing history.
, marked by rebellious behavior. During the 90's Wang Shuo was the most popular and famous writer in China. Despite his hooligan style, his collected works were never banned and only one film based on his novels was not allowed to be shown in China until 2004, not because of his political stance, but rather due to his style. Wang Shuo is a national bestseller
in China and has influenced generations of Chinese readers. With over 20 novels and 10 million copies in print, Wang Shuo's influence ranges from students to workers, and from drifters to intellectuals. His works mark the beginning of a new writing style in China, influencing many new authors. His satire
is less of a direct confrontation with the Communist autocracy than it is a mockery of their lack of cool and a statement of utter indifference to any political or nationalistic correctness.
In his writing style, Wang Shuo has focused on the "living language" which is spoken by ordinary people in the street. He has also used a lot of the Beijing dialect, which makes his works very vivid and attractive.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and cultural icon. He has written over 20 novels, television series and movies. His work has been translated into Japanese, French, English, Italian, and many other languages. He has enormous cultural status in China and has become a nationally celebrated author.
Background
Wang Shuo grew up in an army compound in BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, his family was of Manchu
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
ancestry. When he was an adolescent, his parents were sent to the countryside as part of the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
. He and his brother lived alone in Beijing along with other children of similar background. This period of time is marked by rebellion, fighting and jail. He joined the navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
as a medical assistant where he spent four years. He later pursued a career as a writer. Many lines of his works have become the popular slang of the time. Recently, Wang turned down an offer from Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
's production company. In 2007, Wang Shuo became active once again and went on many talk shows. His latest novel sold at three dollars per character (?), a collective of 3.65 million RMB. This is a record high in Chinese publishing history.
Controversy
Wang Shuo is described by some traditional Chinese as a 'spiritual pollutant' for his hooligan style of writing. His work describes the culturally confused generation after the Cultural RevolutionCultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
, marked by rebellious behavior. During the 90's Wang Shuo was the most popular and famous writer in China. Despite his hooligan style, his collected works were never banned and only one film based on his novels was not allowed to be shown in China until 2004, not because of his political stance, but rather due to his style. Wang Shuo is a national bestseller
Bestseller
A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and...
in China and has influenced generations of Chinese readers. With over 20 novels and 10 million copies in print, Wang Shuo's influence ranges from students to workers, and from drifters to intellectuals. His works mark the beginning of a new writing style in China, influencing many new authors. His satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
is less of a direct confrontation with the Communist autocracy than it is a mockery of their lack of cool and a statement of utter indifference to any political or nationalistic correctness.
In his writing style, Wang Shuo has focused on the "living language" which is spoken by ordinary people in the street. He has also used a lot of the Beijing dialect, which makes his works very vivid and attractive.
Novels
- Wanzhu 《顽主》 (1987)
- Masters of Mischief, or The Operators
- Lun hui 《轮回》 (1988)
- Samsara (English title)
- Wanr de jiushi xintiao 《玩儿的就是心跳》 (1989)
- Playing For Thrills (English Title)
- Qingchun wu hui 《青春无悔》 (1991)
- No Regrets About Youth (English title)
- Xiao shi de nü ren 《消失的女人》 (1993)
- The Vanished Woman (English title)
- Yong shi wo ai 《永失我爱》 (1994)
- Gone Forever with My Love (English title)
- Qianwan bie ba wo dang ren 《千万别把我当人》 (1989)
- Please don't call me human (English title)
- Yi sheng tan xi 《一声叹息》 (2000)
- A Sigh (English title)
- He women de nüer tanhua. 《和我们的女儿谈话》(2008)
- "A conversation with our daughter"
Screenplays
- The Troubleshooters (《顽主》) (1988)
- Samsara (《轮回》) (1988)
- No Regrets About Youth (《青春无悔》) (1991)
- In the Heat of the SunIn the Heat of the SunIn the Heat of the Sun is a 1994 movie directed by Jiang Wen. This was Jiang Wen's first foray into directing after years as a leading man. The film is based on author Wang Shuo's novel Wild Beast .-Synopsis:...
(《阳光灿烂的日子》) (1994) - based on the novel Wild Beast - FatherFather (2000 film)Father is a 2000 Chinese film directed by the writer Wang Shuo. To date, it is Wang's first and only directorial effort. The film is based on Wang's own novel, Wo Shi Ni Baba . Despite being partially backed by the state-run Beijing Film Studio, Father suffered from years of bureaucratic red tape...
(2000) - based on the novel Wo shi ni baba(《我是你爸爸》 I am your papa) - Love the Hard Way (2001) - based on the novel Yi Ban Shi Huo Yan, Yi Ban Shi Hai Shui(《一半是火焰，一半是海水》Half flame, half sea water)
- I Love YouI Love You (2002 film)I Love You is a 2002 Chinese drama film directed by Zhang Yuan and starring Xu Jinglei and Tong Dawei. The film was a co-production between the Xi'an Film Studio and Jewel Film Investment Company....
(《我爱你》) (2002) - Little Red FlowersLittle Red FlowersLittle Red Flowers is a 2006 Chinese film directed by Zhang Yuan. The film was a co-production between China's Beijing Century Good-Tidings Cultural Development Company LTD and Italy's Downtown Pictures...
(《看上去很美》) (2006) - based on novel "Could be Beautiful" - Dreams May Come (《梦想照进现实》) (2006)