"There are many intriguing and mysterious legends about the bandits. Many figures in Mo's novels were based on such anecdotes," said Zhang.
Zhang attributes Mo's success to his deep roots to the land, the people, the stories and his personal experiences.
Familial influences
Mo's 11th novel, Frog, a story about a female county doctor's experience of practicing family planning policies, won the 8th Mao Dun Literature Prize in 2011. Compared to his previous novels, Frog is more realistic and historical. The novel stirs dialogue about China's complicated childbearing history in rural areas during the past 60 years.
The prototype of the older auntie in the novel is based on Mo's own aunt, Guan Yilan, the youngest daughter of his grandfather's elder brother. The 75-year-old doctor retired in 1996, after spending 40 years in the township hospital. At her home, she told Global Times about her experiences.
"It is true that I used to ride a bicycle on the icy surface of the Jiaohe River, as the river, shielded by the dams, was a bit warmer during the windy winter."
"Mo once asked for my opinion about the novel," she said. "But I have no advice to offer. I had faith in his talent and believed he could write the novel properly."
She remembers the days when Mo was a child, passionate about reading. "It was difficult to get books at that time, and he read whatever books were at hand, from martial arts novels to medicinal books."
Mo's elder brother Guan Moxin said that Mo used to borrow books from every household in the village. "He would do farm work for villagers to borrow books in return."
As a boy, Mo loved listening to stories and tales told by his grandfather, family and other villagers, adding to his creative background.
Above and beyond
Mo's first writing attempts in the 1970s are widely acknowledged as the start of his literary career. But perhaps Mo's foray into literature started when a neighbor told Mo that a novelist could eat dumplings for three meals a day, inspiring the then hunger-stricken Mo to dream of a career in writing.
It could also be when Mo's composition was praised by his teacher Zhang Zuosheng, who taught Mo for three years. "His first composition impressed me a lot," Zhang told Global Times. It was the second term of third grade.
"I led them to the farmland and asked them to describe planting rice. While other students wrote in a flat style, Mo wrote meticulous descriptions of the figures," Zhang said.
In fourth grade, Mo wrote a composition about seeing a movie outside, which starts uniquely with the croaking of frogs.
"I showed teachers of upper levels and they were all impressed," Zhang said. "They read the article in their classes as a model. I established a composition group with other teachers for talented students, in hopes of improving their writing," he said. Unfortunately, the group broke up during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76).
Mo still keeps in touch with Zhang and visits when he returns to Gaomi. Grateful for the early encouragement, Mo sends Zhang first editions of his novels, autographed, and asks for his opinion.
"I'm not qualified to give him advice anymore, and I wouldn't dare say I taught him to be the writer he is now. He is self motivated and educated," Zhang said.
Mo has said that though he has written many novels about rural areas, he is now writing about the urbanization of the countryside.
"It's unfair to be regarded only as a writer of native soil," he said. It's speculated that the new book he is working on is set against a city backdrop.
In Zhang's eyes, Mo has already gone far beyond his hometown. "He has transplanted stories from other areas, even in foreign countries. The Nobel Prize will encourage him to do more," Zhang said.
Source: Global Times
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