The self-described king of text messages (SMS) has just published China's first SMS novel.

Dai Pengfei opened his SMS column on sina.com in March 2003, and since then has become the most famous and sought-after short message writer in China. He's followed up on his short message fame with Love the Onion and Shed the Tears, his first novel, and China's first "text-message novel."

Dai says the "short-message novel" is a new invention, and describes it as having 70 Chinese characters in every paragraph, each of which has a humorous, philosophical, or rhyming ending. It's a novel which is not so much about plot, but rather the ingenious use of language and the publishers are promising that "it is a completely new style which will change people's reading and writing habits."

Zhang Ning edited Love the Onion, and Shed the Tears and says the form is very promising: "Short messages are so popular nowadays that the combination of short messages and literature has got to be a trend of the times."

The book has been attracted major publicity since it was first published at the beginning of August. But author Dai didn't want to comment on the literary significance of the novel: "I have no idea about its literary status and influence and I don't think about it...What I originally intended to do was to inaugurate a new style of writing."

After launching his text-message column on sina.com in March last year, he has been described as "short message writer NO.1". In addition to writing text-messages, he has been collecting material for a novel over the past few years. In addition to writing short-messages, he also writes comic sketches and crosstalk dialogues. He says he is planning another three short-message novels with illustrations in the near future.

Dai says it took only fifteen days and nights to finish Love the Onion, and Shed the Tears. "But it took me 10 years to gather the material for the book... Collecting material from daily life is the most important part of a short message writer's work, and this is my strong point."

Dai always carries notebooks with him as well as a Minidisc player, and records interesting ideas as they come to him. "80 percent of my short messages come from life." he says.

"Now I am in a harvest season. Do you think that is because of luck? I don't believe in fate. What I'm reaping now is the result of bitter struggle. I've worked towards this harvest for many years."
 
(CRI.com August 24, 2004)