The 9th Lu Xun Literary Prize announced 35 winning works across seven categories on July 15, 2026.
Breakdown of Jiangsu’s Winning Works
Chu Fujin, born in 1952, won in the short story category with “Unknown.” The piece, first published in Zhongshan, uses Go as a metaphor for life’s journey to explore the tension between ideals and reality, according to the report.
Ding Jie received the award for reportage with “Bloom: A Life Course of a Military Musician.” The work chronicles the life of guqin player Yu Xiaodong, who chose to teach children in the Dabie Mountains for over a decade after a cancer diagnosis instead of pursuing medical treatment.
Wang Jibing, known as the “delivery poet” from Kunshan, won in the poetry category for the collection “Flying Low.” The poems document the resilience and hardships of ordinary laborers.
Did You Know? The Lu Xun Literary Prize was established in 1996 and is hosted by the China Writers Association, ranking as one of China’s four most prestigious literary awards alongside the Mao Dun Literature Prize.
Nominees and Historical Context
Three other Jiangsu-based authors received nominations for this cycle.
The prize has a long history of recognizing Jiangsu authors. Previous winners from the region include Bi Fei Yu, Xia Jianyong, Wei Wei, Fan Xiaoqing, Su Tong, Lu Min, Ye Mi, Lu Shuyuan, Zhu Hui, Hu Xuan, Wang Yao, Han Dong, Pang Liangliang, He Ping, and Zhu Cuzi.
Future Implications for the Literary Community
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the seven categories of the 9th Lu Xun Literary Prize?
Who is the “delivery poet” mentioned in the awards?
Wang Jibing, based in Kunshan, is the poet whose collection “Flying Low” won the poetry award.
How long did it take to translate "Finnegans Wake"?
Which of these winning works do you think best captures the reality of modern labor?