Ma Jian (writer)
Encyclopedia
Ma Jian is a Chinese writer.
Ma was born in Qingdao
on August 18, 1953. In 1986, he moved to Hong Kong
after a clampdown in which some of his works were banned. In 1997 he left for Germany, followed by a move to England in 1999. He now lives in London with his partner and translator, Flora Drew.
Ma came to the attention of the English-speaking world with his story collection Stick Out Your Tongue, translated into English in 2006. The stories are set in Tibet
. Their most remarked-upon feature is that traditional Tibetan culture
is not idealised, but rather depicted as harsh and often inhuman; one reviewer noted that the "stories sketch multi-generational incest
, routine sexual abuse
and ritual rape
". The book was banned in China
as a "vulgar and obscene book that defames the image of our Tibetan compatriots."
Ma's travel memoir Red Dust: A Path Through China (2001) is about his wanderings through remote areas of China from 1983-86 as a long-haired jobless vagabond. It won the 2002 Thomas Cook Travel Book Award
.
His novel Beijing Coma (2008) tells the story of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
from the point of view of the fictional Dai Wei, a participant in the events left in a coma
by the violent end of the protests. The comatose narrator functions as a metaphor for the ability to remember and the inability to act. It has received critical acclaim, with Tom Deveson of The Times
describing it as "epic in scope but intimate in feeling … magnificent" and the Financial Times
calling it “an epic yet intimate work that deserves to be recognised and to endure as the great Tienanmen novel.”
The Chinese government banned Ma from re-entering China in 2011.
Ma was born in Qingdao
Qingdao
' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
on August 18, 1953. In 1986, he moved to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
after a clampdown in which some of his works were banned. In 1997 he left for Germany, followed by a move to England in 1999. He now lives in London with his partner and translator, Flora Drew.
Ma came to the attention of the English-speaking world with his story collection Stick Out Your Tongue, translated into English in 2006. The stories are set in Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
. Their most remarked-upon feature is that traditional Tibetan culture
Tibetan culture
Tibetan culture developed under the influence of a number of factors. Contact with neighboring countries and cultures- including Nepal, India and China - have influenced the development of Tibetan culture, but the Himalayan region's remoteness and inaccessibility have preserved distinctive local...
is not idealised, but rather depicted as harsh and often inhuman; one reviewer noted that the "stories sketch multi-generational incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
, routine sexual abuse
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
and ritual rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
". The book was banned in China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
as a "vulgar and obscene book that defames the image of our Tibetan compatriots."
Ma's travel memoir Red Dust: A Path Through China (2001) is about his wanderings through remote areas of China from 1983-86 as a long-haired jobless vagabond. It won the 2002 Thomas Cook Travel Book Award
Thomas Cook Travel Book Award
The Thomas Cook Travel Book Award originated as an initiative of Thomas Cook AG in 1980, with the aim of encouraging and rewarding the art of literary travel writing. The awards stopped in 2005...
.
His novel Beijing Coma (2008) tells the story of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
from the point of view of the fictional Dai Wei, a participant in the events left in a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
by the violent end of the protests. The comatose narrator functions as a metaphor for the ability to remember and the inability to act. It has received critical acclaim, with Tom Deveson of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
describing it as "epic in scope but intimate in feeling … magnificent" and the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
calling it “an epic yet intimate work that deserves to be recognised and to endure as the great Tienanmen novel.”
The Chinese government banned Ma from re-entering China in 2011.
Works
- Stick Out Your Tongue (亮出你的舌苔或空空荡荡) (1987) with 2006 English translation. Banned in China.
- Red Dust (红尘)
- The Noodle Maker (拉面者) (2004)
- Beijing Coma (肉之土) (2008)
External links
- Ma Jian at FSG
- Ma Jian: Bio, excerpts, interviews and articles in the archives of the Prague Writers' Festival
- Some of his writing (in Chinese)
- Ma Jian at PEN Festival of World Literature
- review of Beijing Coma
- Excerpt from Beijing Coma at BookBrowse, plus reading guide & reviews
- Information about Beijing Coma and the author, with review excerpts