Third Blancpain-Imaginist Literary Prize 2020: Young Writer Shuang Xuetao Honored With First Prize for The Hunter
Beijing: On October 28, 2020, the 3rd Blancpain-Imaginist Literary Prize was unveiled in Beijing. Young writer Shuang Xuetao won the first prize for his works The Hunter. The award was sponsored by Swiss luxury watch brand Blancpain and Chinese publishing brand Imaginist. The award winner of this year was selected by five judges, namely Su Tong, Sun Ganlu, Xi Chuan, Yang Zhao and Zhang Yadong. Mr. Jack Liao – member of Swatch Group China Management Committee and Vice President of Blancpain China, and Mr. Leung Man-tao – Blancpain Culture Ambassador and Head Adviser of Imaginist, co-presented awards to the winner. The Prize Committee will also award Shuang Xuetao with a bonus of CNY 300,000 from Blancpain and a Blancpain Villeret Collection watch.
Su Tong delivered a speech on behalf of the judges: "We saw what the author has achieved in his writing style and character. Reality may come with 11 variations, or just 1. It is fierce, sharp, at the meantime passionate and touching. It is our weakness and pain, yet also our light. We shared a sense of wonder at the author's spiritual adventures. Thanks to the author for creating a new literary magnetic field for us, and for giving us another way of rotation or dizziness."
"I've read the other books that have been shortlisted this year, and indeed I felt much honored to be shortlisted. All five of us have been dedicated to writing and exploring our own ways in the literary world, which I think probably matters the most." Shuang Xuetao addressed, "Writing is a lonely adventure, close to the cliff, but with friends, with people who really love you, your writing would be protected. I believe that literature is not a noisy existence, but it is always in the center of art. Just as the center of a storm is always quiet, so is literature."
The five authors on the shortlist, Lin Zhao, Ren Xiaowen, Shen Dacheng, Shuang Xuetao and Xu Zechen, were all awarded the Shortlisted Work Certificate of Young Friend of Blancpain by Jack Liao and Leung Man-tao. Apart from the bonus awarded to Shuang Xuetao, each of the other four shortlisted authors will receive a bonus from Blancpain to support the continued creation of young writers. "Young Friend of Blancpain" is a kind of identity, as well as a mutual recognition – as Blancpain appreciates young talents, and young talents acknowledge the brand values of Blancpain. "Young Friend of Blancpain" is now composed of three parts: young entrepreneur, Michelin young chef, and young writer.
Mr. Jack Liao said in his speech, "After three years, has the Blancpain-Imaginist Literary Prize achieved its original intention? If we look back upon the goals set at the time of inception, the first is to make sure our prize is fresh, clean, innovative, to make it impartial, authoritative, professional – the growing number of participants each year proves that we did it; the second is to put talented young writers under the spotlight – though it is only in its third edition, the prize has allowed some young writers to be seen and liked. We also have a slogan, 'Reading makes time more valuable'. In this fragmented society, we hope young people, and more people, to really focus on one thing, to find spirit and value in writing and reading. Compared with Blancpain's history spanning two hundred and eighty-five years, the prize is still in its infancy. We hope to keep running this award for 5, 10, 20 or even 50 years. When we look back at it at that time, we will clearly see the growth rings of literature and the changes in times in the landscape of literature."
Liu Ruilin, founder of Beijing Imaginist Times Culture Co., Ltd. said in her speech, "Subject to the rules, we can only select one first-prize winner from the five candidates. This is a pity that we have to accept. Whichever author wins, it is eventually a triumph of literature! The theme of this year's literary prize is 'Joining the Ranks of Contemporaries'. There is no moment more telling than this year that we are contemporaries. The purpose of setting up the Blancpain-Imaginist Literary Prize is to summon and gather all kinds of people through literature, hoping that we can recognize each other – guided by literature – in the vast crowd."
Final Shortlist of the third Blancpain-Imaginist Literary Prize
A Running Stream by Lin Zhao
Twenty-one Chapters of Life by Ren Xiaowen
The Asteroid Fell in the Afternoon by Shen Dacheng
The Hunter by Shuang Xuetao
Tales from the Western Suburbs of Beijing by Xu Zechen
