Chinese Literature - Li-hua Ying 2010

WANG SHUO (1958— )
The Dictionary

WANG SHUO (1958— ). Novelist. Born and raised in Beijing, Wang Shuo, known for his so-called hooligan literature, has written stinging satires with real moral implications. Wan’r de jiushi xintiao (Playing for Thrills), one of his early novels, is a tour de force of psychological realism. The protagonist, an unsuccessful writer, becomes the prime suspect in a murder case that took place 10 years earlier. Unsure if he indeed committed the crime, he searches for old friends for verification. The sense of guilt he feels, coupled with the burden of not knowing the truth, places the protagonist in a moral dilemma. Qianwan bie ba wo dang ren (Please Don’t Call Me Human), a dark satire about Chinese nationalism, delivers a timely remonstration against misplaced national pride. The story describes the search for and the absurd training of a man groomed to win back China’s national pride by defeating an American in a wrestling match. These early successes made Wang a darling of the media. He began churning out, in quick succession, television scripts that led to great commercial success.