Writer. He began his literary career after leaving the army, where he worked as a propaganda writer. Over the last 30 years he has written novels, essays and critiques. Despite having had two of his novels censored in China and having been refused an exit passport for three years, Yan Lianke continues to speak about the impact of governmental censorship on contemporary Chinese writers.

He is a member of the Chinese Writers’ Association and has received numerous awards including the Lu Xun Literary Prize and the Lao She Prize for Literary Excellence, which he received for his novel Shou huo, regarded as a masterpiece.