As part of its new academic year activities, City University of Macau (CityU) invited renowned contemporary writer and CityU Professor Tong Zhonggui, known by the pen name of Su Tong* (苏童), to deliver his Doctor honoris causa Lecture titled “My Literary Life” yesterday at the private university’s Cultural Centre in Taipa, attracting nearly 700 attendees onsite and online yesterday, according to a CityU statement.
CityU Rector Liu Jun (aka Jun Liu) welcomed Su Tong on behalf of the university, praising him as one of the most influential voices in contemporary Chinese literature. Liu highlighted his works such as “Wives and Concubines”, “Rice”, and “Arrowhead Tubers”, as well as the international recognition brought by translations of his publications. Liu emphasised that Su Tong’s literary practice represents a continuous exploration of literature and culture, contributing to both humanities research and international cultural exchange, Liu said.
In his lecture, delivered in Putonghua, Su Tong spoke about key moments in his literary journey. He recalled that in the early 1970s he began writing stories about what he had heard from his neighbours, adding that in order to continue a story he hadn’t finished hearing from them yet, he tried to create the rest of the plot himself.
Later, the literary enthusiasm of the 1980s further inspired his writing style, as Su Tong reflected that writers serve as spokespersons for their eras, comparing the shifting “face” of history to the Egyptian Sphinx: “The face and expression of an era, like the Sphinx, are ever-changing and can never be fully captured in writing.” He noted that literature itself often defines how an era is remembered, citing 19th-century French authors as examples.
During the Q&A session following his lecture, Su Tong engaged directly with students and faculty, discussing character development in “Wives and Concubines”, noting the role of relationships in shaping fate. He cited Wang Xifeng, one of the principal characters in the classic 18th Century novel “Dream of the Red Chamber” to explain how strong characters can transcend time as classical figures. His reflections on rural literature and its connection to broader literary development generated a lively debate and hearty applause.
* Su Tong (born Tong Zhonggui on January 23, 1963 in Suzhou) is one of the nation’s most celebrated and internationally recognised contemporary authors. He is renowned for his darkly poetic and psychologically complex stories. He lives and writes in Nanjing. Su Tong is a member of the Chinese Writers’ Association and has also been involved in screenwriting. – DeepSeek
Prof. Su Tong delivers his Doctor honoris causa Lecture titled “My Literary Life” at the City University of Macau in Taipa yesterday. – Photo: Khalel Vallo
