1. Following are excerpts from the article headlined Mo Yan's Nobel literature prize draws mixed reactions at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-19919192 (Begin excerpts) ......Some media questioned whether political considerations were involved in Mo's win. Some literary critics believe that the West has handed an olive branch to China to improve strained relations after previous Nobel Prize controversies. "Could the decision also be a sign of the Nobel committee seeking to mitigate tensions with China after awarding the Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo in 2010?" the Beijing-based Global Times asked. The newspaper called on the Nobel committee to go beyond dissidents and the "fringes of Chinese society". "It doesn't add to the glory of Nobel Prize if it is at odds with China for long," the newspaper stressed..... Publisher He Xiongfei called for the world to cancel Mo's award on his microblog. "Mo Yan winning the Nobel Prize for Literature is a disgrace in the history of the Nobel Prize and may even be a conspiracy of the Nobel committee, with the aim of embarrassing the Chinese government." Chinese writers and activists interviewed by overseas-based media were divided on Mo's win. Many figures have congratulated Mo, while others see his award as a mistake. Beijing-based dissident artist Ai Weiwei said Mo's win would not help Liu Xiaobo to be freed from prison because Mo had remained silent on the issue. "I think the Nobel organizers have removed themselves from reality by awarding this prize. I really don't understand it," Ai said. Exiled writer Yu Jie told RFA that Mo's award was a mistake. "I am worried that the government will use Mo Yan's prize win to set off a new round of nationalism to offset to some extent the Chinese people's yearning and desire for democracy and freedom brought by Liu Xiaobo winning the prize two years ago," Yu said. (End excerpts) 2. Following are excerpts from the article headlined Mo Yan of China wins Nobel Prize in literature and prompts debate at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-et-nobel-literary-20121012,0,4044942.story (Begin excerpts) ....... Mo's detractors are forceful. "For him to win this award, it's not a victory for literature; it is a victory for the Communist Party," raged Yu Jui, a writer and democracy activist, in a blog post..... "I think [Mo] marches to his own drummer," his longtime translator Howard Goldblatt said by phone from Indiana, where he is an emeritus professor at the University of Notre Dame. "He's not comfortable dealing with political issues, but that doesn't mean he's not engaged." .....That's a tricky business, especially in a country such as China, where writers and artists can often push the conversation in subtle ways. Still, noted Granta editor John Freeman, who conducted the journal's interview with Mo, the new laureate may be doing that, if on his own elusive terms..... As for the role of literature to shout in the street or to hang back and voice quieter opinions it may be that there is a place for both. "Sometimes," Freeman observed, "the imagination is not commenting but creating, and so I believe Mo when he says that his books are not meant to be read as anything but robust stories." (End excerpts) Chinese writer Mo Yan winning the 2012 Nobel Prize for Literature is making headline news in China, with an overwhelming amount of praise, but also controversy, among internet users. There are two extreme views regarding Mo Yan's prize win. On one extreme, the anti-establishment alleges that Mos prize win is not a victory for literature but a victory for the Communist Party. His critics are quick to discredit his achievement, deriding him as an officially sanctioned artist. They say he is too timid to confront a government that heavily censors artists and authors. Some even voice suspicion that the West has handed an olive branch to China to improve strained relations after previous Nobel Prize controversies. The view held by the anti-establishment is ridiculous, meaning that there is already a winning formula for all writers who aspire for the Nobel literature prize just keep writing and producing something to attack the establishment. Once we have a ready-made formula to do something, all creativity will be gone and dead. On the other extreme, the pro-establishment (including the state-run media) is eager to credit the prize win to the state. A Beijing University professor even claimed that the Nobel award is an affirmation of the rise, civilisation and achievement of China. This illogical connection between the achievement of the individual and the state is rather ridiculous as it implies that any Tom, Dick and Harry could win the Nobel literature prize regardless of individual talent and effort. Although both pro-establishment and anti-establishment express their viewpoints from two extreme ends with entirely different goals and motives, they seem to align with each other in the end. Both views are ridiculous and unfair to Mo who is known for challenging the status quo without offending the authorities. He is seen as a writer deftly working the restrictive system to address tough subjects. Mo is not an unknown person appearing suddenly out of nowhere is to win the Nobel literature prize. He is described by Donald Morrison in U.S. news magazine TIME as "one of the most famous, oft-banned and widely pirated of all Chinese writers". He has been referred to as the Chinese answer to Franz Kafka or Joseph Heller. Prior to winning the Nobel Prize in Literature, he already has a long list of literary awards and honours. 1998: Neustadt International Prize for Literature, candidate 2005: Kiriyama Prize, Notable Books, Big Breasts and Wide Hips 2006: Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize XVII 2007: Man Asian Literary Prize, nominee, Big Breasts and Wide Hips 2009: Newman Prize for Chinese Literature, winner, Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out 2010: Honorary Fellow, Modern Language Association 2011: Mao Dun Literature Prize, winner, Frog Mo Yan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mo_Yan#Awards_and_honours
