2008 China’s cultural figures

Jia Pingwa

Jia Pingwa

In November 2008, Jia Pingwa won the seventh Mao Dun Literary Prize for his 12th novel, "Qin Qiang," (Shaanxi Opera) becoming a laureate of China's top novel prize. When receiving the seventh Mao Dun Literary Prize for the novel, "Qin Qiang," Jia said during the presentation speech that "The sigh of ‘Qin Qiang’ is a point stressed in contemporary novels, and it is also a lively reflection of this era."

Moreover, the results of the fifth Public Reading Survey released in April 2008 showed that Jia, together with other writers including Lu Xun, Ba Jin, Lao Shê and Jin Yong (Louis Cha), were the top 10 most popular book writers. The launching ceremony of the film, an extract from Jia’s another novel “Gao Xing” (Happy), was held on January 19, 2009.

What he said

Both sorrow and joy concurrently exist in 2008. As for the whole nation, this year witnessed the sorrow of the Sichuan Earthquake and the joy of Beijing Olympic Games. The government infused huge funds to stimulate the domestic market after the global financial crisis.

In the individual sense, I experienced the joy of winning the seventh Mao Dun Prize as well as the torture of seeing a family member ailing. The prize rewarding my career is a bridge built for crossing a river, like a spring for a thirsty person. The road ahead is long and we should keep going forward. I felt overtired this year messed with bitterness and happiness, but on the other hand, I well understood what tolerance and perseverance meant. Let us pick up confidence to face the future.

I am the lucky one who was born in China and witnessed the great change that occurred here which enlightened me. As a writer, I will make more efforts to work out good writing.

Profile

Jia Pingwa was born in Danfeng County, Shaanxi province in 1952. He graduated from the department of Chinese in the Northwest University of China. He is a member of CPPCC, the president of the Writers’ Association of Shaanxi province, deputy to the People’s Congress of Xi’an, and the president of the Writers’ Association of Xi’an. His first publication was in 1974. His works include “the Collected Award Winning Novellas of Jia Pingwa”, “the Collected Works of Jia Pingwa”, and long novels like “Shang Zhou”, “White Nights”, and his autobiographical novel “I am a Farmer”, etc. His “December and January” was awarded the best novel of the Third National Novellas, “Full Moon winning the best short story of 1978 and the 1997 Prix Femina Prize going for “Defunct Capital”. Besides, “Turbulence” was awarded with the Pegasus Prize for Literature in 1987, and recently it won the prize of French Arts and Literature conferred by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication.

Mei Baojiu

Mei Baojiu

Mei Baojiu, the youngest song of Mei Lanfang, the maestro of Peking Opera, is the head of Mei Lanfang Peking Opera Troupe. Born in 1934, Mei Baojiu was first trained in the art by his father at the age of 10. He had his first formal performance at the age of 13. Gifted with a clear and sweet voice, Mei Baojiu has easy control over his vocal techniques and his stage persona resembles that of his father's. His personification of the essence of the Mei school makes him its best representative.

At the end of the year, as the movie, "Forever Enthralled" became a hit, the 70-year-old Mei Baojiu frequently appeared in the spotlight to promote the movie and answer questions from the audience.

All these efforts reflect not only the natural respect and obligation a son has for his father, but also the passion and sense of mission a virtuoso feels for the art of Peking Opera.

This year, the efforts Mei made to inherit and carry forward the art of Peking Opera went far beyond that. Both the popularization of Peking Opera and the training of gifted performers ignited a passion in him.

What he said

Peking Opera hit the year of 2008. “Peking Opera Back to Schools” activity, the film “Forever Enthralled” (Mei Lanfang) and the drama “Mei Lanfang” all made Peking Opera better understood by more people, the youth in particular.

I watched the 6th National Peking Opera Contest for Youth several times and found many talented actors. In order to improve, Peking Opera needs more people involved to inherit the quintessence of our nation. Whoever learns the traditional arts should pay respect to the art and have a sense of responsibility to make traditional operas bloom.

Now, the government attaches much importance to Peking Opera which may be expressed by other sorts of art in future, such as ballet and TV play series, etc. Peking Opera artists should also make their contribution to develop the traditional art and I hold an optimistic view.