Cao Shui (; born June 5, 1982), also known as Shawn Cao, courtesy name Yaou (Eurasian), pseudonym or
''hao'' Lord of Tower of Babel, is a Chinese
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...
,
novelist
A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living wage, living writing novels and other fiction, while other ...
,
screenwriter
A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...
and
translator
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''trans ...
. He is one of the representative figures of Chinese Contemporary Literature. He leads the
Great Poetry Movement. In his ''Declaration of Great Poetry'', he aims to integrate sacred and secular cultures, oriental and occidental cultures, ancient and modern cultures in
Chinese literature
The history of Chinese literature extends thousands of years, and begins with the earliest recorded inscriptions, court archives, building to the major works of philosophy and history written during the Axial Age. The Han dynasty, Han (202 ...
. His most notable works include the ''Epic of Eurasia'', ''
Secret of Heaven'' (trilogy), and ''King Peacock'' (TV series). His works are dedicated to rebuilding a republic in which the whole humanity can live in
freedom
Freedom is the power or right to speak, act, and change as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving oneself one's own laws".
In one definition, something is "free" i ...
, which he always described as
Eurasia
Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...
, the Top of the
Tower of Babel or
Kunlun Mountains (Heaven Mountains). As of 2024, 46 books of Cao Shui have been published, including 10 poem collections, 4 essay collections, 10 novels, 18 fairy tales, 4 translations and one hundred episodes TV series and films. He is a member of
China Writers' Association,
China Film Association, and World Poetry Movement. His works have been translated into 26 languages by 2024. He is also the editor-in-chief of Great Poem and deputy editor-in-chief of ''World Poetry''. Currently he lives in Beijing as a professional writer and screenwriter.
Life
Cao Shui was born in
Yushe,
Shanxi
Shanxi; Chinese postal romanization, formerly romanised as Shansi is a Provinces of China, province in North China. Its capital and largest city of the province is Taiyuan, while its next most populated prefecture-level cities are Changzhi a ...
, China. He received his bachelor's degree in Chinese literature at
Qinghai University for Nationalities in 2006 and was an international editor of Xihai Metropolis Daily in Xining for two years until he resigned to pursue his desire for personal freedom. After his resignation, Shui traveled around
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
and
Xinjiang
Xinjiang,; , SASM/GNC romanization, SASM/GNC: Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Sinkiang, officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People' ...
, places which he considers the center of both
Eurasia
Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...
or
World
The world is the totality of entities, the whole of reality, or everything that Existence, exists. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the world as unique, while others talk ...
.
After returning to
Xining
Xining is the Capital (political), capital and most populous city of Qinghai province in western China and the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau. As of the 2020 census, it had 2,467,965 inhabitants (2,208,708 as of 2010), of whom 1,954,795 l ...
, he began his professional writing career. In 2017, he moved to
Beijing
Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
. Until these days in 2024, he has written 10 poem collections, 4 essay collections, 10 novels, 18 fairy tales, 4 translations, 100 episodes for TV, as well as scripts for plays and films. He obtained his master's degree in literature from
Beijing Normal University
Beijing Normal University (BNU) () is a public university in Haidian, Beijing, Haidian, Beijing, China. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Education (China), Ministry of Education of China, and co-funded by the Ministry of Education and the B ...
.
He is a member of the
China Writers' Association,
China Film Association, and
China Poetry Society. He is the chief editor of ''Great Poem'' and deputy editor in chief of ''World Poetry'', the chief editor of ''Global Poets''.
Due to his extensive participation in international poetry exchanges, Cao Shui is known as the "International Cao" in the Chinese poetry world. He has been invited to participate in the 34th Medellin International Poetry Festival, the 26th Havana International Poetry Festival, the 14th Kritya International Poetry Festival in India and the 4th Qinghai Lake International Poetry Festival,etc. He is Asian coordinator of
World Poetry Movement, secretary general of Boao International Poetry Festival, executive president of the Silk Road International Poetry Festival and chairman of Beijing International
Poetry Film Spring Festival Gala.
Reception
Cao Shui promotes the Great Poetry Movement, Poetry Film Movement and Dramatized Novel Movement. He is considered one of the leading poets of the Chinese pioneer poem movement.
His novels ''The Secret of Heaven'' (trilogy) relay the history of human
civilization
A civilization (also spelled civilisation in British English) is any complex society characterized by the development of state (polity), the state, social stratification, urban area, urbanization, and symbolic systems of communication beyon ...
. The trilogy received positive feedback from both critics and readers. He was recommended to
Lu Xun Literary Institute, which is regarded as the "cradle of Chinese writers" for Chinese Course and English Course.
Cao Shui's poetry has been translated to 30 languages including
English,
Japanese,
Spanish,
Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
,
German,
Swedish,
Portuguese,
Hindi
Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
,
Nepali,
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
,
Bengali,
Kazakh,
Irish,
Turkish,
Croatian,
Slovene,
Korean,
Vietnamese,
Tibetan,
Mongolian,
Nuosu,
Hungarian,
French,
Italian,
Danish,
Russian,
Serbian,
Kyrgyz,
Albanian and
Polish. Several of his novels have been adapted into films and TV series. He has also written many screenplays which have been made into
dramas,
films
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of Visual arts, visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are gen ...
, and
TV series
A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming platf ...
.
Awards
* The 1st ''Star of Literature of 5th Qinghai Young Literature Award'' in China in 2011.(第五届青海青年文学奖首届文学之星）
* The 7th ''Qinghai Province Government Literature Award''in China in 2014 .（第七届青海省政府文艺奖）
* The 1st ''Chinese Youth Poets Award'' in China in 2016. （首届中国青年诗人奖）
*The 4th ''
Cao Yu
Cao Yu (, September 24, 1910 – December 13, 1996) was a Chinese playwright, often regarded as one of China's most important playwrights of the 20th century. His best-known works are ''Thunderstorm'' (1933), ''Sunrise'' (1936) and ''Peking Man' ...
Screenplay Prize'' in China in 2018.（第四届曹禺杯剧本奖）
*The 5th Chinese Poetry Spring Festival Gala: Top Ten Poets of 2019 in China.(2019年度十佳华语诗人).
*Kyrgyzstan Republic ''Film Contribution Award'' in 2019.
*The Golden Camel Award of the 3rd Silk Road International Poetry Prize in China in 2020.(第三届丝绸之路国际诗歌节之金驼奖）
*Best Foreign Writer Award at the 27th ''Ossidi Seppia Poetry Prize'' in Italy in 2021.
*The 8th ''Rome Contemporary International Academy of Poetry and Arts Award, Apollo Dionysus Poetry Award'' in Italy in 2021.
*The 12th Russian ''Golden Knight Award''.
*The 8th ''Giovanni Bertacchi International Poetry Prize'' in Italy in 2021.
*The 6th Chinese Poetry Spring Festival Gala 2021 Top Ten Poetry Collections Award in China ("Flowers of the Empire").（第六届华语诗歌春晚十佳诗集奖）
*The 7th China Long Poetry Award ("Epic of Eurasia").（第七届中国长诗奖）
*The Bangladesh Bikash Sahitya Parishod International Literature Award in 2022.
*The 7th Top Ten Contemporary Poets Award in China in 2024.（第七届十佳当代诗人奖）
Works
Poems
*''Who Is Symbolizing in Depression'' (，2007).
*''Cold Lyrics: Lyrics of
Eurasia
Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...
'' (，2007).
*''Great Apocalypse of
Yin and Yang
Originating in Chinese philosophy, yin and yang (, ), also yinyang or yin-yang, is the concept of opposite cosmic principles or forces that interact, interconnect, and perpetuate each other. Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary an ...
of
Eurasia
Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...
'' (，2009).
*''
Epic
Epic commonly refers to:
* Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation
* Epic film, a genre of film defined by the spectacular presentation of human drama on a grandiose scale
Epic(s) ...
of
Eurasia
Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...
'' (汉语诗歌资料馆，2010；， ，2018).
*''The Lyric of
Babel'' （English, Spanish and Chinese） Translated by Brendan Higginbottom
SAand Roberto Aedo
hile(， ISSN：2225-1499，2018).
*''The Bride of
Hanging Garden of Pamirsberg'' (， ISSN：2225-1499，2018).
*''Flowers of Empire'' （Italian, English and Chinese） Translated by Fiori Picco
taly (，2021).
*''Listening to the Heartbeat of the World in Istanbul'' （Turkish） Translated by
Nurduran Duman urkiye (，，2023).
*''Epic of Eurasia: Love and Hate Between East and West''（Italian） translated by Lamberto Garzia(MONDO FLUTTUANTE，2024).
Novels
*''The Top of
the Tower of Babel'' (, , 2007).
*''The Prequel Secret of Heaven: The Top of
the Tower of Babel'' (, ，2012).
*''
The Secret of Heaven I: The Axis of Time'' (, , 2010).
*''
The Secret of Heaven II: The Chinese Royal Jade Seal and the Roman Imperial Diamond Crown'' (，, 2011).
*''
The Secret of Heaven III:
The Tower of Babel Is
Mayan Pyramid'' (, , 2016).
*''Legend of Princess Hutai'' (, , 2013).
*''Legend of Prince
Yuan He'' (, , 2018).
*''Bloody Detachment of Women'' (2024).
Fairy Tales
*''Prince
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard (''Panthera uncia'') is a species of large cat in the genus ''Panthera'' of the family Felidae. The species is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because ...
'' (, , 2017).
*''Where is the Home of the Great Rivers'' (, 2024).
*''The Snow Mountain That
Eagle
Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
s Cannot Fly'' (, 2024).
*''The Return of the King of Snow Mountain'' (, 2024).
*''
Wild Yak Nur '' (, 2024).
*''Running!
Tibetan Antelope '' (, 2024).
*''The Invisibility Technique of the Hidden
Donkey
The donkey or ass is a domesticated equine. It derives from the African wild ass, ''Equus africanus'', and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, ''Equus africanus asinus'', or as a separate species, ''Equus asinus''. It was domes ...
'' (, 2024).
*''Waiting for the
Black-necked Crane
The black-necked crane (''Grus nigricollis'') is a medium-sized crane (bird), crane in Asia that breeds on the Tibetan Plateau and remote parts of India and Bhutan. It is long with a wingspan, and it weighs . It is whitish-gray, with a black h ...
'' (, 2024).
*''I Am Not a
Vulture '' (, 2024).
*''Snow Lotus Suba Not Afraid of Cold'' (, 2024).
*''Dream of a Bug'' (, 2024).
*''Three Sisters of
Wild Yak'' (, 2024).
*''Tibetan Wild Donkey Dad'' (, 2024).
*''
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard (''Panthera uncia'') is a species of large cat in the genus ''Panthera'' of the family Felidae. The species is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because ...
Prince'' (, 2024).
*''
Tibetan Antelope Guardians'' (, 2024).
*''
Bear
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family (biology), family Ursidae (). They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats ...
Beauty'' (, 2024).
*''
Otter
Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which includes weasels, badgers, mink, and wolverines, among ...
Bar'' (, 2024).
*''Three Sisters of
Wild Yak'' （Italian） Translated by Fiori Picco
taly (，2024).
Screenplays
*''Myth of
Kunlun
The Kunlun Mountains constitute one of the longest mountain chains in Asia, extending for more than . In the broadest sense, the chain forms the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau south of the Tarim Basin. Located in Western China, the Kunlu ...
'' 电视剧《昆仑神话》（TV series，2013）.
*''Defend China With Blood'' 纪录片《血铸河山之战马萧萧保河山》（Documentary，2015）.
*''Prince
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard (''Panthera uncia'') is a species of large cat in the genus ''Panthera'' of the family Felidae. The species is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because ...
'' 戏剧《雪豹王子》（Play，2016）.
*''Perfume of Heart'' 广播剧《心香》（Broadcast Play，2016）.
*''Prince Hutai：a Legend of
Southern Liang Dynasty'' 纪录片《虎台：一个王朝的背影》（Documentary，2017）.
*''King Peacock'' 电视剧《孔雀王》（TV series，2018）.
*''Death of
Poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...
'' 电影《海子》（Film，2018）.
*''Lock and Load'' 电影《子弹上膛》（Film，2019）
*''
Kung Fu
Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...
Kid'' 电影《功夫小鬼》（Film，2019）
*''Finding Poet
Li Po''电影《我不是李白》（Film，2019）
*''I am the
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard (''Panthera uncia'') is a species of large cat in the genus ''Panthera'' of the family Felidae. The species is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because ...
Prince'' 微短剧《我是雪豹王子》（Mini TV series，2024）.
Essays
*''Sketches of the Top of
Tower of Babel'' (, , 2009).
*''Travel in the Center of Eurasia: Tibet and Xinjiang'' (青海人民出版社，2018).
*''
Kekexili Kingdom of Animals'' （青海民族出版社，，2018）.
*''Travel in Kunlun Mountains'' （济南出版社，，2024）.
Theories
*''Declaration of
Greatpoemism'' (《大西北诗报》2007第3期).
*''Great
Poetics'' (《西风带》2013第1期，2010).
*''Great
Literature
Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, Play (theatre), plays, and poetry, poems. It includes both print and Electroni ...
Theory: Intertextuality of Poetry, Fiction and Drama'' (《中国汉诗》2018第1期).
* Declaration of Poetry Film Movement (2017)
* Declaration of Dramatized Novel Movement(2017)
*''Great Poetics: Intertextuality of Poetry, Fiction and Drama'' (，2022).
*''A Brief History of Modern Chinese Poetry '' （Italian）translated by Lamberto Garzia(MONDO FLUTTUANTE，2024).
Edited Books
*''Three Hundred Chinese Poems'' (，，2020).
*''Selected Poems from the 18th Army in Cao Shui and Yi Sha's Poetry Battle ''(，，2024).
Translations
*''Steps of
Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
(by
Nurduran Duman)''（Chinese, English and Turkish)The Herald Publisher Proprietary Limited, , 2019.
曹谁翻译杜门诗集《伊斯坦布尔的脚步》出版发行
搜狐网. 2019.12月5日(简体中文)
*''Song of Dream Land''(by Fernando Rendon)《理想国的歌声》(北岳文艺出版社，，2024）
*''Golden Bird in the Sun''(by Vadim Terekhin)《太阳中的黄金鸟》(北岳文艺出版社，2024）
References
External links
Facebook of Cao Shui
Twitter of Cao Shui
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cao, Shui
1982 births
Living people
21st-century Chinese poets
Screenwriters from Shanxi
People from Jinzhong
Poets from Shanxi
Chinese male novelists