charles laughlin, i want to start with you. tell us about his work, about his themes. what's he writing about? >> well, xiao qiang came out at the reform and opening. many writers came out influenced by western literature, particularly realism from south america and in mo yen's case particular influence from the american writer william faulkner and many writers came out at that time, but not many have continued their careers and sustained them into the president day and mo yan is one of only three or four who have done so and he is among them one that emphasizes his rural origin it is most in terms of subject matter and the particular sort of course rural voice he maintains in his fiction. >> brown: xiao chiang chiang, what's his status there? >> he's an acclaimed author, very popular. i left china more than 20 years, i have heard his name and read his literature back in the '80s and '90s when i was in the united states. he's also apparently embraced by the chinese state media, particularly for this receiving award event. >> brown: nail in a little bit more, charles la