PARIS, March 21 (Xinhua) -- With a history spanning thousands of years, Chinese literature represents "the most beautiful and enduring monuments" of the country, Nobel laureate Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio said.
"Among all the works, I would recommend to readers the poetry of the Tang Dynasty, such as the works of Du Fu and Li Bai, and the magnificent novel 'Dream of the Red Chamber' by Cao Xueqin," Le Clezio, who won the 2008 Nobel Prize in Literature, told Xinhua in a recent interview.
The French writer expressed his appreciation for many of the works of his fellow laureate from China, Mo Yan, in particular the "Red Sorghum Clan."
"I visited Gaomi, the birthplace of Mo Yan," said Le Clezio. "(I saw) the sorghum plantations and the house where this great writer has lived. It's very moving."
Born in 1940 in Nice, France, he stays in close contact with the Chinese literary community. His works have been translated into 36 languages, and nearly all of them have been translated into Chinese.
Le Clezio enthusiastically suggested that readers begin reading his books with "The Interrogation," a novel written 50 years ago.
Published in 1963, "The Interrogation" was Le Clezio's first book. Associated with the style of Nouveau Roman, or new novel, it won the Renaudot literary prize.
On the development and future of Chinese literature, Le Clezio said that "it is a literature in motion, with a realistic legacy," and that "knowledge of the works of the past is also indispensable."
"We must support the translation of (the works of) young writers," he said.
