张炜，1956年11月出生于山东省龙口市，现任中国作家协会副主席。1975年开始发表作品，曾获得茅盾文学奖、鲁迅文学奖等多种文学奖项。他有40余部作品被译为英、法、日、韩、德、阿、土、瑞典、塞尔维亚、俄、意等语言。他的长篇小说《古船》已有简繁中文及外文版50多个版本，长篇小说《九月寓言》已有简繁中文及外文版30多个版本。

　　张炜是受中国东部半岛“齐文化”影响深重的作家，作品具有强烈的传奇色彩和浪漫主义倾向。葛浩文说：“张炜是中国当代创作最丰、最受推崇的作家之一。《古船》开始创作时张炜年仅28岁，无论在内容、风格还是历史视角方面，都称得上突破之作。张炜创造了中国小说的一座里程碑、一部对一切人类进行言说的作品。在西方，张炜一直是个谜一样的人物。”马悦然说：“自《古船》出版以来，张炜就确定了中国当代最伟大的作家之一的地位。”美国出版索引学会创会主席罗伯特•鲍曼说：“我自九十年代初就一直关注张炜的创作，我高度评价《古船》《九月寓言》和《蘑菇七种》等作品。这是我最喜欢的中国作家。他强烈的诗性、语言的魅力，以及描写历史和现实的令人惊愕的真实，都深刻地打动了我。”

　　张炜代表作可列举两部：《古船》，作家的首部长篇小说，描叙中国一百余年来遭遇的动乱、变革等历史，特别是在巨大苦难面前的牺牲、忍韧和反思，其表述有震撼人心的力量，为作者赢得了巨大荣誉，三十多年一直畅销不衰。《九月寓言》，一部半岛地区海边小村的神秘传奇，被视为作者最精彩的语言艺术结晶，保持近三十年畅销记录。

　　张炜近作长篇小说《独药师》《艾约堡秘史》反响热烈，被认为是作家本人最激动人心的作品。《独药师》可视为一本革命传奇、一部养生秘笈、一曲缠绵悱恻的生死绝恋。该书首次披露了胶东半岛地区一段惊心动魄的革命史，通过半岛首富、第六代独药师传人的故事，展示了四大宗教（基督教、儒教、道教、佛教）在剧变之期的中国大地上的冲突与融合，并深入探索了最具东方气质的养生（方士）学的源流与嬗变史为厚积薄发之作。《艾约堡秘史》通过一个私营企业巨头兼并海边渔村的典型现代事件，聚焦当今中国巨富阶层，是关于情与欲在资本隆隆推进的物质主义时代最细致入微的描述，如同中国新时期经济与文化演变成长的信史。

　　张炜

　　Zhang Wei

　　Zhang Wei was born November, 1956 in Longkou, Shandong province, China. He is the current Vice President of the Chinese Writers Association. He started to publish his writing in 1975, and is a recipient of a number of awards, including the Mao Dun Literature Prize and the Lu Xun Literary Prize. Over 40 of his works have been translated into English, French, Japanese, Korean, German, Arabic, Turkish, Swedish, Serbian, Russian and Italian. His novels The Ancient Ship andSeptember’s Fable have been published in both Simplified and Traditional Chinese, with the former having over 50 overseas editions, and the latter over 30.

　　As a local of the Shandong Peninsula, Zhang’s works are characterized by use of fantastic and romantic tropes harking back to the ancient kingdom of Qi. Translator Howard Goldblatt once remarked, “Zhang Wei is one of the most prolific and respected authors in contemporary Chinese fiction. Zhang was 28 when he started writing The Ancient Ship. It is a breakthrough work in terms of its content, style and historicity. It is also a milestone in the history of Chinese fiction that speaks to our collective humanity. In the West, Zhang Wei is something of an enigma.” Ma Yueran said, “Since publishing The Ancient Ship, Zhang Wei has secured his place as one of the greatest Chinese writers.” Robert Bowman, Chairman of the American Society of Indexing, said, “I have followed Zhang Wei’s writing since the early 1990s. I commend him for his works The Ancient Ship, September’s Fable and Seven Kinds of Mushroom. He is my favorite Chinese writer. I have been moved by his impressive poetic sensibility, the charm of his language, and his realistic depictions of history.”

　　Two of Zhang Wei’s works could be considered most representative. First is his novel The Ancient Ship which depicts over a century of turmoil and transformation in China. The work gives voice to suffering, sacrifice, patience and reflection. It has not been out of print for over three decades, and secured Zhang’s reputation as formidable figure on the literary scene. Second is his novel September’s Fable. The story is of the Chinese fantasy genre and is set in a small village on the Shandong Peninsula. Considered one of his best works, the novel has remained a best-seller for over 30 years.

　　Public response to Zhang Wei’s latest novelsThe Single Pharmacist andThe Secret History of Aiyue Castle has been overwhelmingly positive, with the works being praised as among the author’s most exciting creations. Described as both a revolutionary legend and romantic tragedy, The Single Pharmacist has revealed the thrilling history of revolution on the Shandong Peninsula. Revolving around the richest man on the peninsula and the sixth generation of pharmacists, the story tells of the conflicts and integration of the four major religions of Christianity, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism in China and explores the origin and history of alchemists in China. The Secret History of Aiyue Castle is about a business tycoon who takes over a coastal fishing village. The novel is a meticulous exploration of what happens when capitalism and materialism clashes with local communities, and a veritable account of the development of China’s economy and culture in a new era.