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Over 120 books have been nominated for the 11th Hong Kong Biennial Awards for Chinese Literature. The entries feature works by veteran local writers and those of budding authors. The winning books include an essay on memories of an old city, poetry vividly recording life and reality, fiction that focuses on food to depict love and care, literary criticism analysing works by four local writers from different generations, and youth literature that narrates a new migrant's integration into Hong Kong society.
The 11th Hong Kong Biennial Awards for Chinese Literature was organised by the Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The nominated books were assessed by an adjudication panel. After thorough selection and discussion, four Biennial Awards and five Recommended Prizes were awarded to entries in the nominated book list.
Officiating at the prize presentation ceremony today (November 24), the Chairman of the Public Libraries Advisory Committee, Professor John Leong, said that creative writing always involves a long journey from inspiration on topics through to writing, and that publication of a book gives authors a great feeling of satisfaction.
Continuous support from publishers and readers also provides important motivation for writers in their creativity, he said.
The Biennial Awards has been regarded by the local literary community as a remarkable event in Hong Kong literature. Professor Leong pointed out that the nominated books are of a high standard, contain a variety of themes, and showcase many good writers from different generations in the local literary community.
The 11th Hong Kong Biennial Awards for Chinese Literature are given to outstanding Chinese literary books written by local writers that were published in Hong Kong for the first time in 2009 and 2010. The awards consist of a Poetry Category, an Essay Category, a Fiction Category, a Literary Criticism Category, and a Children and Youth Literature Category. The winners lists is as follows:
Poetry Category
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Biennial Award "Between Day and Night"
Yip Tak-fai
Culture Plus
Recommended Prize "Were the Singing Cats"
Chan Lai-kuen
Culture Plus
"Dis-poetry"
Sham Hok-man
Culture Plus
Essay Category
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Biennial Award "The City Gates Open"
Zhao Zhenkai
Oxford University Press (China)
Limited
Recommended Prize "Embossed"
Chu Siu-cheung
Infolink Publishing Limited
Fiction Category
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Biennial Award "Postcolonial Affairs of Food
and the Heart"
Leung Ping-kwan
Oxford University Press (China)
Limited
Recommended Prize "ode to the journeys through
thorns"
Lee Wai-yi
kubrick
Literary Criticism Category
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Biennial Award "Hong Kong Fiction and
Individual Memories"
Chan Kit-yee
Cosmos Books Limited
Children and Youth Literature Category
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Recommended Prize "The Wild Fruit"
Wu Yin-ching
Breakthrough Limited
The Hong Kong Biennial Awards for Chinese Literature has been held bi-annually since 1991. It aims to recognise the excellence of Hong Kong literary writers, encourage local publishers to publish quality literary books and promote the appreciation of Chinese literature.
The award-winning books in the 11th Hong Kong Biennial Awards for Chinese Literature and the previous Biennial Awards have already been included in the HKPL's collection. A roving exhibition on the award-winning works from previous years will be held from December to May next year in 10 public libraries for readers to appreciate the works of the awarded authors. In addition, a roving exhibition introducing the winning entries of the 11th Biennial Awards is being held from now until May next year at the south gate foyer on the ground floor of the Hong Kong Central Library and at 11 public libraries.
For more information, please visit the HKPL's website at www.hkpl.gov.hk/english/ext_act/ext_act_lac/ext_act_lac_hkbacl/ext_act_lac_hkbacl.html.
Ends/Thursday, November 24, 2011
Issued at HKT 20:36
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