(Another) Nobel for China

Well this is awkward.

Today the Nobel Prize for Literature went to Chinese author 管谟业 Guǎn Móyè, who goes by the pen name of 莫言 Mò Yán. This is both awesome and, like I said, somewhat awkward for the CCP. On the one hand, it's an accomplishment to be proud of, as Mo Yan is the first Chinese person to win the prize for literature while still a Chinese citizen. It's an award that validates modern Chinese literature as being able to contribute to the global literary culture. More importantly, at least to China, it signifies the spread of China's cultural influence and prestige to the rest of the world.

China's pride and excitement over the award covered the internet shortly after Mo Yan was announced the winner. Within half an hour of the announcement, Mo Yan's name was mentioned over 30,000 times on 微博 Wēibó (China's version of Twitter). As I check now, another half hour later, the number has climbed to 70,000.

Even the articles published by Chinese newspapers are celebratory in nature, calling on the rest of the country to congratulate Mo Yan for bringing pride to China. For those literate in Chinese, take a look at this op-ed written for the People's Daily shortly after the award was announced. It starts off by congratulating Mo Yan on bringing China its first Nobel Prize for Literature. Then, in a style that seems to criticize China and the West simultaneously, it complains of how China, the land of such a rich literary history, birthplace of Confucius, Lu Xun, and Cao Xueqin, has waited so long for someone to finally receive this award. The article continues to say that finally being able to put a Chinese citizen on the list of recipients is, "comfort, proof and affirmation [of Chinese literature]; moreover, it is a new starting point."

So... why is this awkward?

Remember this, China's first actual Nobel Prize? It's still being categorically denied by the government, and the recipient, Liu Xiaobo, is still locked up. Mentioning the words "Nobel Prize" in China will almost inevitably remind people of this, and the drama that was the Nobel Peace Prize of 2010 (for those who heard about the drama, at least). So every time China celebrates Mo Yan's big accomplishment, it is also tacitly reminding people of two things:
     1. This is the second, not the first, Nobel Prize to go to a Chinese citizen.
     2. The recipient of the first prize is in prison for the very same reason that he won the prize.
In a way, the Committee's decision to award this second Nobel Prize to a Chinese citizen so soon after the Liu Xiaobo controversy could be construed as a subversive maneuver to embarrass the CCP yet again for its policies and treatment towards Mr. Liu. Or at least, I could see the government saying something that inane if it really wanted to. However I think the government is perfectly happy stoking people's national pride and letting all thoughts of Liu Xiaobo be forgotten.

That's the big news of the day. On a more personal level, did you see how I totally read that op-ed in Chinese with minimal-to-substantial help from my online dictionary? I really do love validation. :)