After an absence from the Chinese literary scene of more than three years, controversial author Mian Mian is back with two new offerings. The former enfant terrible of Chinese literature has released On High in Blue Tomorrow - an edited collection of entries from her blog - and Notorious, a rewritten version of her 2005 novel Panda Sex.
'This new version of Panda Sex tells exactly the same story as in the first book, but about 90 per cent of the writing style has been changed,' she says. 'The first book was very experimental, using pictures, but this one is pure literature.'
The original Panda Sex, which examines male-female relationships in metropolitan Shanghai, was released with a rather dry, script-like prose and a collage of pictures showing the Shanghai life of the author, whose real name is Sheng Wan. 'When we came to publish the book in French, I felt all these pictures wouldn't really interest French readers. But I really like the storyline, I find it very interesting and challenging, so I decided to rewrite the book,' she says, adding the Chinese version is 'a bit different' from the French to avert the wrath of the mainland censors.
Mian Mian recently promoted Notorious in Strasbourg, France; she is also planning to direct a film version to be produced by Paris-based production house Anna Sanders Films.
While her first international best-seller Candy (2000) remains banned in China for its controversial depiction of heroin addicts and prostitutes, Mian Mian says issues concerning censorship have improved on the mainland. But she still believes there is limited space in China for serious literature because publishers and the media do not really support it.
'I'm certain there are excellent writers in this country, but I can't see them,' Mian Mian says.