Open Letter to the Norwegian Nobel Institute and Norway's "Book Club" Regarding *Wang Sanfeng*'s Challenge to Climb the Pinnacle of World Literature

 

 Open Letter to the Norwegian Nobel Institute and Norway's "Book Club" Regarding *Wang Sanfeng*'s Challenge to Climb the Pinnacle of World Literature 

# Open Letter to the Norwegian Nobel Institute and Norway's "Book Club" Regarding *Wang Sanfeng*'s Challenge to Climb the Pinnacle of World Literature 

 

Respected Norwegian Nobel Institute and Norway's Book Club, 

 

I pay tribute to your institute and book club for your remarkable achievements and contributions! 

 

I refer to your institute and book club as "having made remarkable achievements and contributions" because of the "World Olympic Games of Literature" jointly initiated by you in 2002. This was an event where more than 100 renowned writers and scholars from over 50 countries were invited to select literary and artistic works from all centuries across the globe. It was the largest-scale, highest-standard, and most authoritative selection in the history of the world, attracting global attention with high popularity and credibility. It represented a comprehensive review of the world's literary and artistic works before the 21st century and a great contribution to world literature, culture, and civilization—deserving gratitude from all humanity. As a member of humanity, I am also grateful for this selection. However, as a Chinese, while feeling grateful, I am deeply ashamed—a shame that feels like a heavy whip lashing the great Eastern nation. 

 

Among the 100 selected works, 82% were from Europe and America. Yet, from China, the great Eastern nation with 1.4 billion people and a 5,000-year civilization, only one collection of short stories and novellas by Lu Xun made the list, accounting for a mere 1%. This overwhelming sense of shame has lingered in my heart, refusing to fade. Is Chinese literature really so inferior? Absolutely not. While Chinese literature certainly has its shortcomings, the literary culture and civilization of the Chinese nation are by no means inferior to those of any other country or nation in the world. It seems that the world does not truly understand China and has only a superficial perception of the Chinese nation. But the blame does not lie with the world; it lies with the Chinese themselves. Chinese literature has contributed too little to human civilization and failed to leave a deep impression on the world. This is worthy of reflection by Chinese people worldwide. 

 

However, I do not wish to argue about the glories that were overlooked in history. Having been whipped in the present, we must win back honor with gold medals in contemporary literature. Though I am just an unknown Chinese writer, the unyielding spirit of the Chinese nation and the proud character of refusing to fall behind remain intact in me. I also have a responsibility to win back this honor for Chinese literature and the Chinese nation. Thus, I swore to wipe away this shame through literature—to introduce the advanced Chinese culture and noble Chinese civilization to the world. This will not only enable the world to understand the Chinese nation, its culture, and its civilization but also allow me to make my due contribution to human progress and civilization. 

 

Over 20 years, I have polished my novel *Wang Sanfeng*. The protagonist is a portrait of the Chinese nation, embodying the essence of Chinese culture and civilization. This novel is intended to pay tribute to the world on behalf of the Chinese nation, serve the world, and contribute to the advancement of human civilization. Chinese literature was shamed because of the "World Olympic Games of Literature" initiated by your institute and book club, and I hope it can be redeemed through your hands. What I hope for from your institute and book club is: 

 

To make this challenge letter public to the world and showcase *Wang Sanfeng* to the world, allowing the whole world to judge, re-examine Chinese literature, understand Chinese culture and civilization, and recognize the true Chinese nation. I solemnly state: *Wang Sanfeng* is an envoy of Eastern culture and civilization. It conveys the ultimate truths of the universe discovered by the sages of the Chinese nation and Venerable Sakyamuni to all humanity, enabling humanity to more quickly bid farewell to the backward "age of industrial civilization" and enter the brilliant "age of cultural civilization." 

 

This is the original intention of *Wang Sanfeng* being presented to the world. It holds the view that: *Wang Sanfeng* is the most beautiful, greatest, most brilliant, and most valuable pinnacle work in the history of world literature, surpassing all literary masters before the 21st century. It is a "literary moon" that can illuminate the world and benefit all humanity. However, this needs to be verified by the world. Therefore, it appears in the posture of challenging the whole world—inviting capable writers worldwide to compete with their works, and critics to compare it with the most renowned masterpieces of their respective countries. For example, "Cervantes, Hašek, Gogol (the top three masters of world comedic novels), Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Balzac (the top three giants of world tragic literature)," and so on. I will not refuse any challenger. After *Wang Sanfeng* defeats the world and ascends to the pinnacle of world literature, I request your institute to inform the world by means of a supplementary list to the 2002 "World Olympic Games of Literature," declaring that *Wang Sanfeng* officially replaces *Don Quixote* as the number one work in world literature. 

 

Attached to this letter are 5 self-evaluation essays of *Wang Sanfeng* written by me. Please first appraise them to verify whether my statements are true and whether I am qualified to challenge the world. 

 

Do not regard this as a simple literary competition. The significance of this challenge lies in promoting the prosperity of world literature, facilitating the display and dissemination of the world's advanced cultures and humanity's noble civilizations, and advancing human civilization. 

 

Regrettably, my novel is still in electronic format. Because XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, I have been submitting it for 15 years and XXXXXXXXXXX. I sincerely ask readers for their understanding. 

 

Words fail to fully express my meaning. I would like to offer my deep apologies for any inconvenience caused to your institute and book club! 

 

With hands clasped in respect! 

 

An Unknown Chinese Writer: Nan Tai 

January 28, 2025