The Evolution of a Master Storyteller from China: In Conversation with Mai Jia
Join Mai Jia, one of China’s most celebrated authors renowned for the spy novel, as he talks about leaving behind the world of espionage fiction for a deeply personal storytelling approach!
About The Evolution of a Master Storyteller from China: In Conversation with Mai Jia
Born in 1964 in Zhejiang province, Mai Jia is one of China’s most celebrated authors, renowned for his mastery of the spy novel. A best-selling writer and recipient of China’s highest literary honour, the Mao Dun Literature Prize, his works have captivated millions.
His international breakthrough Decoded was published by in the UK by Penguin Modern Classics in 2014. The novel earned global acclaim, with the Economist hailing it as “a great Chinese novel” and the Wall Street Journal praising it as “a novel that challenges the reader’s mind while achieving literary stature.”
However, in 2019 the author took an unexpected turn—leaving behind the world of espionage fiction to embrace a deeply personal storytelling approach. His novel The Colonel and the Eunuch is a poignant coming-of-age story, a multi-generational family saga and a profound exploration of heroism. This bold departure from his signature style resonated powerfully with readers, selling over 4 million copies.
Hosted by the Confucius Institute for Scotland at the University of Edinburgh, Mai Jia shares the story behind his creative transformation—why he stepped beyond the realm of thrillers, what inspired him to craft this deeply human narrative, and how his new novel became an extraordinary success.
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