Wang Shuo is a Chinese author, director, actor, and cultural icon.
Background
Wang Shuo grew up in an army compound in Beijing. When he was an adolescent, his parents were sent to the countryside as part of the Cultural Revolution, leaving him and his brother alone in Beijing among other children whose parents were also away.
Career
He has written over 20 novels, television series and movies. His work has been translated into Japanese, Spanish, French, English, Italian, and many other languages. He has enormous cultural status in China and has become a nationally celebrated author
His family was of Manchu ancestry.
He joined the navy as a medical assistant where he spent four years. He later pursued a career as a writer
Recently, Wang turned down an offer from Francis Ford Coppola"s production company. In 2007, Wang Shuo became active once again and went on many talk shows.
His latest novel earned at three dollars per character (?), a total of 3.65 million RMB. This was a record high in Chinese publishing history.
Wang Shuo is described by some traditional Chinese critics as a "spiritual pollutant" for his hooligan style of writing. His work describes the culturally confused generation after the Cultural Revolution, marked by rebellious behavior. During the 90"s Wang Shuo was the most popular and famous writer in China.
Despite his hooligan style, his collected works were never banned and only one film based on his novels was not allowed to be shown in China until 2004, not because of his political stance, but rather due to his style.
Wang Shuo is a national bestseller in China and has influenced generations of Chinese readers. With over 20 novels and 10 million copies in print, Wang Shuo"s influence ranges from students to workers, and from drifters to intellectuals.
His satire is less of a direct confrontation with the Communist autocracy than it is a mockery of their lack of cool and a statement of utter indifference to any political or nationalistic correctness. In his writing style, Wang Shuo has focused on the "living language" which is spoken by ordinary people in the street.