Zhou Weihui

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Zhou Weihui (traditional Chinese: 周衛慧; simplified Chinese: 周卫慧; pinyin: Zhōu Wèihuì, (born Ningbo, 1973) is a young Chinese writer, living and working in Shanghai and New York.

Her novel Shanghai Baby (上海宝贝) (2000) was banned in the People's Republic of China as "decadent". Her latest novel Marrying Buddha (我的禅) (2005) was censored, modified and published in China under a modified title.

She is often associated with Mian Mian, another slightly older member of the so-called "New Generation".

[edit] Life and Work

Zhou Weihui, known in the West as Wei Hui, studied Chinese Language and Literature at Fudan University in Shanghai, after a year of military training. Her first short story was published at the age of 21. Her first novel Shanghai Baby, was an overnight bestseller in China. Soon after its publication, Shanghai baby was banned by the Chinese government, because of the novel's explicit sexual scenes and bold portrait of China's new generation. The publishing house that published the novel was temporarily closed for 3 months. Shanghai Baby was published overseas where it became an international bestseller. Shanghai Baby has been translated into 34 different languages and has sold over six million copies in 45 countries. Shanghai Baby has sold more copies than any other work of Chinese contemporary literature.

A major feature film adaptation of Shanghai Baby, starring Bai Ling was released in 2007.

Marrying Buddha, Weihui's second novel and a sequel to Shanghai Baby, was published in 2005 and became another international bestseller. Like Shanghai Baby, the novel is narrated by Coco, a thinly disguised Weihui. Coco is described by Weihui as a 'representative of socially and sexually liberated Chinese young women'. Marrying Buddha continues Coco's journey of self-discovery in terms of her sexuality.

Wei Hui has been regarded by international medias as a spokeswoman of the new generation of Chinese young women. She has presented her work in a large number of Western publications, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, the BBC, The Times, The Sunday Times, the Economist, Stern, Welt am Sonntag, Asahi Shimbun, NHK, Yomiuri Shimbun, Le Monde, Le Figaro and more.