Controversy Over Mo Yan and the Nobel Prize

Published on Oct 16, 2012 by NTDTV

Last week Chinese writer Mo Yan received the Nobel Prize for Literature. It's become a controversy because Mo is seen as a writer that's part of the system. He's a party member and holds a high-level position within the state-run China Writers' Association. But is it fair to ask that artists become dissidents? In a country like China, is it possible to award an individual without also awarding the system? And why is the Communist Party supportive of Mo, even when he paints unflattering portrayals of officials? China analyst Jason Ma joins us to talk about these issues.