We love ourselves a good zinger. Via China Digital Times’s “NetEase News Calls Out Global Times,” we’re introduced to the image of the fleabane, which CDT explains is “known as qiangtoucao (墙头草) or ‘wall-top grass’ in Chinese. Qiangtoucao also means ‘fence-sitter,’ someone who bends to the prevailing political or social winds to stay rooted.” Who could that possibly be applied... Read more »
A lot of people have expressed their desire to see newly crowned Nobel laureate Mo Yan speak out against the more grievous shortcomings of the Chinese government. The extent to which he leverages his publicity to enact change will ultimately be up to him, but if his most recent quote — just a day after winning... Read more »
The blitz is on. Eighteen hours after Mo Yan’s historic win of the Nobel Prize in Literature, a shedload of articles have appeared analyzing, praising, criticizing, and explaining what it all means to China, the Nobel Committee, literature, politics, activism, free speech, publishing, Ai Weiwei, and the world. If you’re looking for a straight write-up,... Read more »
Mo Yan, 57, has made history by becoming the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Announced mere minutes ago, Mo will become the 109th recipient of the prestigious prize. Reached at his home by phone, he told the Nobel committee he was “overjoyed and scared.” Mo was apparently co-favored alongside Japanese... Read more »
