On October 26, acclaimed Chinese author Ye Zhou announced in an interview with China News Service that his revised edition of “The Dunhuang Chronicle,” which spans over one million words, along with animated adaptations and illustrations inspired by Dunhuang-themed short stories, will make its worldwide debut in Dunhuang. A recipient of the Lu Xun Literary Award and a contemporary writer from Gansu province, Ye revealed that nearly ten foreign rights contracts for his Dunhuang stories have already been signed, with translations underway for English, French, and Russian editions.
Ye Zhou, originally from Lanzhou, Gansu, is known for works such as “The Dunhuang Chronicle,” “Eighteen Songs of Liangzhou,” “Great Dunhuang,” “Dunhuang Poetry Collection,” “The Blue Dunhuang,” and “Silk Road.” For the 58-year-old author, Dunhuang has been a central theme throughout his more than thirty-year writing career. He believes that while his Dunhuang novels cater to a specific audience, the accompanying illustrations and animations can appeal to all age groups, presenting a vibrant and “living Dunhuang” to the world.
He likened Dunhuang to “parents, homeland, and a super nuclear power station,” stating that just standing on that land fills him with endless creative inspiration. Recalling his experiences, he shared that on the first day of the Year 2000, he visited every cave at Mogao Grottoes and spent an entire day walking along the snow-covered banks of the Dangquan River under the tall poplars. It was during this time that he resolved to write a significant book about Dunhuang and the Grottoes.
Although Ye cannot recall how many times he has visited Dunhuang, he feels that each trip grants him courage and fuels his imagination. His long preparation for writing about Dunhuang included extensive research and language development, allowing his writing to shine with a nurturing and illuminating quality that endures to this day.
Last autumn, Ye penned a script for a dance drama centered on Dunhuang. In the depths of winter, he and his creative team traveled through Mogao Grottoes and the Singing Sand Dunes, using his fingers as a pen on the snow-covered ground to write and title the work “Dunhuang News.” Recently, a dance adaptation of this script premiered at the Shanghai International Arts Festival, sparking enthusiastic responses and resonance among audiences.
“Dunhuang and the Hexi Corridor have embraced a young man’s ambitions and pursuits, tempering my frantic heartbeat and teaching me the values of solemnity, tranquility, and enduring patience,” Ye concluded. He expressed his determination to continue writing about Dunhuang, as he still has more stories in mind related to this captivating theme.
