Chinese Literature - Li-hua Ying 2010

CHEN JIANGONG (1949— )
The Dictionary

CHEN JIANGONG (1949— ). Fiction writer, essayist, and screenplay writer. Born in Guangxi Province, Chen Jiangong moved to Beijing in 1957, when his economist father took a teaching position at the People’s University. In 1977, Chen was admitted to Beijing University, ending his 10-year career as a coal miner. In the early 1980s, several of his short stories won prestigious awards, establishing him as a promising young writer. Chen writes in the realistic mode and his works reflect his experience as a laborer and college student. He is particularly noted for his Beijing-flavored stories. Influenced by Lao She, also a Beijing resident, Chen uses an urban, street language consisting of traditional expressions and trendy slang, vividly capturing the unique features of the witty Beijing vernacular. His works include Miluan de xingkong (A Star-studded Dazzling Sky), Danfeng yan (Beautiful Eyes), Quanmao (Curly Hair), and Beijing ziwei (Beijing Flavor).