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Chinese writers shortlisted for prestigious literary prize

Chinese writers shortlisted for prestigious literary prize

Write: Elmar [2011-05-20]

Chinese writers Wang Anyi and Su Tong have been shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize, a prestigious literary prize.

The Chinese pair are among a total of 13 writers from eight countries that have made it on to the judges' list of finalists, according to a statement posted on the prize's official website.

The prize is awarded with 60,000 British pounds (around 96,000 U.S. dollars) every two years to a living author who has published fiction either originally in English or whose work is generally available in English translation.

Wang, born in eastern China city Nanjing in 1954, lives in Shanghai and currently serves as the chairwoman of the Shanghai Writers' Association.

Her nostalgic novel, The song of Everlasting Sorrow, won the Mao Dun Literature Award in 2000, one of China's most prestigious literary prizes.

Su, 48, a native of Suzhou city, eastern Jiangsu Province, was awarded the Man Asian Literary Prize for his novel, The Boat to Redemption.

His novella, Wives and Concubines, was turned into a film by director Zhang Yimou.

Su said he was pleased to hear the news, likening it to a warming spring breeze, according to a report carried on Saturday's China Daily newspaper.

The Man Booker International Prize will be announced in Sydney on May 18.