Dong Xi, a famous author from Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous county, was awarded the Mao Dun Literature Prize, the highest honor in Chinese literature, at the 2023 China Literature Festival.

The awards ceremony took place in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, on Nov 19.

The winners of the 11th Mao Dun Literature Prize were announced on Aug 11, with Dong Xi winning the prestigious award for his novel Echo. This is the first time that a Guangxi writer has won this award.

The Mao Dun Literature Prize is awarded every four years to outstanding full-length novels. Since its founding in 1981, some 48 books have received this award.

Dong Xi, whose real name is Tian Dailin, was born in Dongli village, Bala Yao town, Tian'e county, Hechi city in March 1966.

Echo is Dong Xi's fourth novel, and was first published in June 2021. The novel took more than four years to complete and has now been adapted into a psychological suspense drama of the same name, gaining significant attention.

In his acceptance speech, Dong Xi expressed his gratitude, saying, "I would like to thank the destiny that has been bestowed upon me, the events that have impacted me, the people who inspired me to create Echo, and the people who appreciate this work."

Dong Xi's work Echo. [Photo/Hechi Daily]