China Writers Association

China Writers Association or “Chinese Writers Association"(CWA, Chinese: 中国作家协会; pinyin: Zhōngguó Zuòjiā Xiéhuì) is a subordinate of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC). Founded in July 1949, the organisation was initially named the China National Literature Workers Association. In September 1953, it was renamed the China Writers Association.^[1] In April 2012, the organisation changed its translated name to China Writers Association.^[2]

It now has more than 9,000 registered members, with branch associations across the nation.^[3] The first CWA Chair was Mao Dun, under the leadership of the then CFLAC Chairman Guo Moruo.^[1] In 1985, Mao was succeeded by Ba Jin. The incumbent Chair is Tie Ning since 2006.^[4] Other successive Associate Chairs include Ding Ling, Feng Xuefeng, Lao She, Ke Zhongping, Shao Quanlin and Liu Baiyu.^[1]

Controversy

The bylaws of the Writers Association indicate that it is a “mass group voluntarily formed from China's authors,” but, during this period, it was not purely an organization of such a nature. It was a coordinator and guarantor of an author's creative activities, artistic exchanges, and legitimate rights and interests, but its more important functions were to exercise political and artistic leadership and control of a writer's literary activities, and to guarantee that literary norms were implemented.

—Hong Zicheng^[1], p. 27, 2007

Bibliography

• Hong, Zicheng (2007). A History of Contemporary Chinese Literature. Brill's Humanities in China Library 1. BRILL. ISBN 9789004157545. 

References