Su Tong
Encyclopedia
Su Tong is the pen name of a Chinese
writer born in Suzhou
who is now based in Nanjing
. His real name is Tong Zhonggui (童忠贵).
He entered into the Department of Chinese of Beijing Normal University in 1980 and started to publish novels in 1983. He is now the vice president of Jiangsu Writers Association. Known for his controversial writing style, Su is regarded as one of the pioneering novelists in China.
He has written seven full-length novels and over 200 short stories, some of which had been translated into English
, German
, Italian
and French
.
He is best known for his book Wives and Concubines
in the West, published in 1990. The book was adapted into the film, Raise the Red Lantern
by director Zhang Yimou
. The book has since been published under the name given to the film.
His other works available in English translation are Rice
, My Life as Emperor, Binu and the Great Wall (tr. Howard Goldblatt
), Madwoman on the Bridge and Other Stories and Tattoo: Three Novellas.
In 2009, he was awarded the Man Asian Literary Prize
for his work The Boat to Redemption, the second Chinese writer to win the prize.
In 2011, Su Tong was nominated to win the "Man Booker International Prize
."
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
writer born in Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
who is now based in Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
. His real name is Tong Zhonggui (童忠贵).
He entered into the Department of Chinese of Beijing Normal University in 1980 and started to publish novels in 1983. He is now the vice president of Jiangsu Writers Association. Known for his controversial writing style, Su is regarded as one of the pioneering novelists in China.
He has written seven full-length novels and over 200 short stories, some of which had been translated into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
.
He is best known for his book Wives and Concubines
Wives and concubines
Wives and Concubines is a novel by Su Tong that describes a college girl whose mind is broken by the concubine system in 1930s China. It was made into a film in 1991 by Zhang Yimou. It has since been republished in the United States under the title Raise the Red Lantern in order to capitalize on...
in the West, published in 1990. The book was adapted into the film, Raise the Red Lantern
Raise the Red Lantern
Raise the Red Lantern is a 1991 film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li. It is an adaption by Ni Zhen of the 1990 novel Wives and Concubines by Su Tong...
by director Zhang Yimou
Zhang Yimou
Zhang Yimou is a Chinese film director, producer, writer and actor, and former cinematographer. He is counted amongst the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers, having made his directorial debut in 1987 with Red Sorghum....
. The book has since been published under the name given to the film.
His other works available in English translation are Rice
Rice (novel)
Rice is a novel by Chinese author Su Tong.-Plot:The story is based during the flood days in 1930s in China, when people immigrated from the countryside to the urban areas in search of work...
, My Life as Emperor, Binu and the Great Wall (tr. Howard Goldblatt
Howard Goldblatt
Howard Goldblatt is Research Professor of Chinese at the University of Notre Dame. He is a translator of numerous works of contemporary Chinese/Taiwanese fiction, including The Taste of Apples by Huang Chunming and The Execution of Mayor Yin by Chen Ruoxi.Goldblatt received a B.A. from Long Beach...
), Madwoman on the Bridge and Other Stories and Tattoo: Three Novellas.
In 2009, he was awarded the Man Asian Literary Prize
Man Asian Literary Prize
The Man Asian Literary Prize, founded in 2007, is an annual literary award given to the best novel by an Asian writer, either written in English or translated into English, and published in the previous calendar year...
for his work The Boat to Redemption, the second Chinese writer to win the prize.
In 2011, Su Tong was nominated to win the "Man Booker International Prize
Man Booker International Prize
The Man Booker International Prize is a biennial international literary award given to a living author of any nationality for a body of work published in English or generally available in English translation....
."