ABSTRACT
Residing in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, in north-western China, Jia Pingwa (b. 1952) is a prolific producer of novels, novellas, short stories and essays, and an occasional poet. By 2005 Jia Pingwa had published ten novels, dozens of collections of short stories, novellas and essays, and one book of poetry. The ten novels are: Shangzhou (Shangzhou ; 1984), Turbulence (Fuzao; 1988), Pregnancy (Renshen; 1989), Defunct Capital (Feidu ; 1993), White Nights (Baiye ; 1995), Earth Gate (Tumen ; 1996), Old Gao Village (Gaolaozhuang ; 1998), Remembering Wolves (Huainianlang ; 2000), Health Report (Bingxiang baogao !; 2002) and Local Accent (Qinqiang ; 2005). Jia Pingwa commands an enormous readership in the Chinese-speaking world. Many of his publications have numerous editions in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Two of his major novels, Turbulence and Defunct Capital, and a small number of his short stories and essays have been translated into many languages, including English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Vietnamese. His works have been used as textbooks for students in schools and at universities, both inside and outside China.
