A poster of Xue Mo's literary works exhibited at the 74th Frankfurt Book Fair in 2022 in Germany [Photo/SOCAAC]

China International Book Trading Corporation (CIBTC) brought over 30 literary works of Xue Mo, the pen name of Chinese writer Chen Kaihong, to the 74th Frankfurt Book Fair in 2022 held in Germany from Oct 19 to 23.

A photo of Xue Mo [Photo/SOCAAC]

Xue comes from a rural family in Wuwei, a city of Northwest China's Gansu province. He grew up and realized his childhood dream of becoming a writer with the support of his maternal uncle and the belief that a man of virtue should strive to strengthen himself and fulfill social commitments.

The publication of the novel "Desert Rites," which took Xue about 12 years to finish, thrust him into the limelight in 2000. Several years later, the release of his "Desert Hunters" and "White Tiger Pass" received wide acclaim and established a prominent position for him in the field of traditional Chinese literature.

A screenshot of the cover of English version of Xue Mo's literary works [Photo/SOCAAC]

The cover of Xue Mo's novel "White Tiger Pass" [Photo/SOCAAC]

The publication of three more literary works, which included "The Curse of Xixia," "White Fox Ridge," and "The Monk and the Spirit Woman," has further consolidated Xue's position and influence in contemporary Chinese literature, especially in western China.

"His Suosalang" has become the first-ever epic work created by the Han Chinese people.

Xue is an honoree of Feng Mu Literature Prize, the Shanghai Novel and Novella Prize, and Top Ten Chinese Cultural Persons of the Year in 2015. He has also served as an academic supervisor of humanistic disciplines in both the Cancer Institute at Fudan University and the TCM Cancer Institute of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He also acted as chief expert in the Center for Literary Translation and Intercultural Studies at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.

His literary works have been translated in  more than 30 foreign languages including English, French and German, and they  enjoyed wide readership abroad.

"Into the Desert," an exhibited work of Xue at the 74th Frankfurt Book Fair in 2022, is an excerpt from his representative novel "White Tiger Pass." In his literary work, Lanlan and Ying'er, the two principal heroines and representatives of thousands of women in western China, are compelled to seek a humble living into the desert because of poverty and social prejudice. With strong determination and their pursuit of progress, they successfully walk out of the hell-like place in a symbolic journey.

Right now, there are two English versions of the novel "Into the Desert". One of them is translated by American sinologist Howard Goldblatt together with his wife Sylvia Li-chun Lin and published by U.S. Long River Press. Another version, titled "The Women, the Camels and the Dholes", is translated by British sinologist Nicky Harman and published by U.S. BookBaby Corporation.

During the Frankfurt Book Fair, the Hebrew version of "The Selected Works of Xue Mo," which is published by Israel company eBookPro, was also on display. This book has been published in over 10 countries and regions. Its audio English version can be found in online retail platforms of more than 40 countries.

A poster of the release ceremony of Xue's new books at the 74th Frankfurt Book Fair in 2022  [Photo/SOCAAC]

The CIBTC on Oct  20 held a release ceremony of Xue's new books under the theme of "Everyone Enters Their Own Desert——Xue Mo and His Light" on the sidelines of the 74th Frankfurt Book Fair in 2022.

In addition, the CIBTC also entered into cooperation arrangements with foreign publishing houses over the copyright of select literary works during the Frankfurt Book Fair. 

(Copywriter: Wang Liyan)