Mo Yan was born in 1956 in rural Shandong, northeastern China. At the age of 20, he joined the People's Liberation Army. He began writing in 1981 and entered the literature Department of the PLA Art Academy in 1984. His published works include over forty short stories and three novels, quite a number of which have been translated into English as well as other foreign languages. The film version of the novel, Red Sorghum, won first prize in the Golden Bear awards at the Berlin Film Festival in 1988.
        Mo Yan 's writing has gained him a considerable audience -- not only in China, but overseas, where he is considered one of the most talented and interesting Chinese writers. In the year 2000, he visited Toronto to read at the Harbourfront Reading Series.

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