Mr. Wang Meng
Well-known Contemporary Writer
Wang Meng, born in Oct. 1934 in Beiping (now Beijing), a native of Hebei Province, graduated from senior high school, taught at Department of Chinese Language & Literature of Beijing Normal University in 1962, present consultant of Ocean University of China and Dean of School of Literature; as well as professor or honorary professor of Nankai University, Zhejiang University, Xinjiang University, Nanjing University, Art College of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing Normal University, Northwest Polytechnic University, Central China Normal University, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Zhejiang Normal University; and consultant of Chinese Poetry Research Center of Anhui Normal University; former presidential fellow of U.S. Trinity University, and visiting scholar of Harvard-Yenching Institute.
Novel is the major representation of Wang Meng's literary works. Since 1950s, He has published seven saga novels, over ten collections of novelettes, short stories and short-short stories, more than ten review collations, over ten essay collections, three books of classical literature studies, one collection of old-style poems, two collections of new-style poems, as well as translation works from English and Uygur languages. In 1993, the Collected Works of Wang Meng (8 volumes) was published; and in 2003, the Anthology of Wang Meng (23 volumes) was published. Wang Meng's works have been translated and published in more than twenty languages such as English, French, German, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, and Dutch.
While a student in high school, Wang Meng took part in the revolutionary movement and successively took the positions of leader of Communist Youth League of China, leader of village, member of the Central Committee of CPC, and Minster of Culture. He is now the honorary vice chairman of the Chinese Writers Association, member of the National Committee of the CPPCC, and director of Culture & History Study Commission of the National Committee of the CPPCC.
Wang Meng's works have drawn wide attention and been studied in researches, discussions, reviews and disquisitions with both positive and negative comments. During 1950s, Mao Zedong mentioned his short story "The Young Newcomer in Organization Department" for several times with positive criticism. Wang Meng has received numerous prizes and honors including Italian Premio Literature International Award, Prize for Peace and Culture awarded by Sokagakkai, honorary doctorate degree from Russia Science Academy, Far-east Branch, and honorary member of Jordan Writers Association. He has visited more than forty countries and regions over the world for teaching, research and cultural exchange. He is also the consultant of Board of Management of Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs.
His maiden work titled "Long Live the Youth" wrote at the age of 19 has proved very popular. In addition, the recently published "Black Box", "My Life of Philosophy", "Wang Meng and his Xinjiang", "Wang Meng Reading", "Wang Meng New Century's Lectures", "Talking about the Dream of the Red Chamber by Wang Meng", "Dream of the Red Chamber Commented by Wang Meng", "All About Romance" and "Wang Meng's Autobiography" have been well received by the readers and won favorable comments from the academic sphere.
