Mo Yan: Receiving a Nobel feels like a fairy tale
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E-mail China.org.cn, December 11, 2012
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Winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize for Literature Mo Yan (L2) of China presents his prize during the Nobel Prize award ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall in Stockholm December 10, 2012.[Photo/Xinhua] |
![Winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize for Literature Mo Yan (L2) of China presents his prize during the Nobel Prize award ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall in Stockholm December 10, 2012.[Photo/Xinhua]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20121211/001372acd0b51230bc0a04.jpg "Winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize for Literature Mo Yan (L2) of China presents his prize during the Nobel Prize award ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall in Stockholm December 10, 2012.[Photo/Xinhua]")
Chinese writer Mo Yan was awarded 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature at Stockholm Concert Hall in Sweden on Monday.
The Nobel Prize Award Ceremony for 2012 started at 4.30 p.m. local time (1530 GMT) with the Swedish royal anthem "The King's Song." Mo Yan, dressed in black tailcoat, went slowly up to his seat on the stage with the other Nobel Prize winners.
Marcus Storch, chairman of the Board of Nobel Foundation first addressed the ceremony and welcomed the winners for attending the ceremony in Sweden.
King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf awarded Mo Yan the Nobel diploma, medal and a document confirming the prize amount after a representative of the Nobel Prize jury in literature introduced the achievement of Mo Yan in literature.
After that the orchestra at the ceremony presented a part of the "Aladdin Suite" called "Chinese Dance" and the Concert Hall became full of Chinese elements.
The annual Nobel Banquet was held later at Stockholm City Hall’s Golden Hall, attended by some 1,500 guests.
"I left my speech script at the hotel, but I've got all the words in my mind. For me, a farm boy from Gaomi's Northeast Township in far-away China, standing here in this world-famous hall after having received the Nobel Prize in Literature feels like a fairy tale, but of course it is true," Mo Yan said he's very grateful for those translators for converting his works into so many languages.
"I'd like to pay my great respect to those academians in Swedish Academy who insist on their belief in me and I am very grateful for that. Compared with science, literature may be not having strong power, but the strongest power of literature lies in its soft power."
He said he is a storyteller, who has found nourishment in where he grew up.
"I am also well aware that literature only has a minimal influence on political disputes or economic crisis in the world, but its significance to human beings is ancient. When literature exists, perhaps we do not notice how important it is, but when it does not exist, our lives become coarsened and brutal. For this reason, I am proud of my profession, but also aware of its importance."
2012 Nobel Prize laureates in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology, Medicine and Economics also went up to receive the award from the King. Nobel Prize in Physics this year went to Serge Haroche of France and David J. Wineland from the US. Nobel Prize laureates in Chemistry were American scientists Robert J. Lefkowitz and Brian K. Kobilka. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was won by Shinya Yamanaka from Japan and John B. Gurdon from Britain. Nobel Prize in Economics was shared by American economists Alvin E. Roth and Lloyd S. Shapley.
The amount of each Nobel Prize this year was 8 million Swedish crowns (about 1.2 million U.S. dollars).
About 1,500 people attended the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony this year, including members of the royal family of Sweden and Swedish politicians.
Since 1901, the Nobel Prizes have been presented to the Laureates at ceremonies on Dec. 10 which is the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death.
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