Yang Hongying is one of the most successful and popular Chinese children authors in modern time. Yang grew up in Chengdu and became a Chinese language teacher at a local primary school at the age of 18[1]. Yang began to publish children’s literature at the age of 19. After her first year on the job, she began full time writing on children’s fiction, in order to supplement students’ reading material. To date, she has sold about 200 million copies[2].
In the history of Chinese children’s literature, Yang Hongying is a leading voice of China today. She is the author with a largest circulation of original children’s literature, creating a miracle of children’s reading in China. According to OpenBook’s market projection, as of December 2020, the total market sales volume in China of her works has about 180 million copies. In 2018 alone, the total market sales volume in China of her works has exceeded 60 million copies.
According to the 2018 annual report by OpenBook, Yang Hongying had a total market share of 3% of all children’s books sold in China’s retail market.
Her titles accounted for nearly 1 out of every 100 books sold in Chinese bookstores last year. By comparison, if Madame Yang were a publishing company her unit sales would make her the 6th largest publishing company in children’s book market in China.
Many people refer to Madame Yang as the JK Rowling of China. Both writers are widely beloved in China. However, in terms of sales performance Madame Yang’s works have outsold JK Rowling’s by a factor of 6 to 1 in China’s retail market.20
Madam Yang has become a leading cultural image in China. Yang has earned numerous awards[1] for her work, including:
- 2014 nominated as Hans Christian Andersen Award
- the 2011 Publication Project Award for The Green Dog’s Village,
- the 2010 Second Government Award for The Black Afternoon,
- the 2007 Best Children’s Literature Award for Mo’s Mischief,
- Bing Xin Children’s Book Award, founded in 1990, is the only international award for Chinese children’s literature and art in China,
- Other awards by Chinese authority.
Her famous series Diary of a Smiling Cat, the work was recognized as[2]:
- 2014 the gold award of World Copyright Works by WIPO,
- the second of Chinese Excellent Publication Award,
- the Best Children’s Book Of The Year Award in China for three consecutive years
- an excellent reading material recommended by Chinese government,
- the 8th Copyright Excellent Book Award of China, and
- the best book to read in 2009 by CCTV and China Book Commercial Daily.
She was praised by Chinese teenagers as the most favorite children’s literature author[3];
- A chapter from Girl’s Diary has been selected as an experimental Chinese textbook for primary schools in China;
- Boy’s Diary won the National Bestseller Award in 2003,
- Beautiful teacher and bad boy won the national best seller award in 2004, and was listed in “China new century education library • 100 kinds of recommended reading books for primary school students.
Well-known Works
Madam Yang’s children’s books have been enthusiastically embraced by Chinese children over the past two decades, making her as the most admired author among Chinese children[1]. In August 2000, Diary of a Girl was published by Writers’ Publishing House. It was one of Yang’s famous works and her first bestseller. In 19 years, this beautiful diary of a young girl has been printed hundreds of timesand this individual book sold more than 5 million copies. It is known as the “Apocalypse of Modern Girls’ Growth”[2]. Other famous works of hers include the Mo’s Mischief series starting in 2003 (or Tao Qi Bao Ma Xiao Tiao in Chinese pronunciation, or Naughty Boy Ma Xiaotiao) and the Diary of a Smiling Cat series (or Xiao Mao Ri Ji in Chinese pronunciation) starting in 2006. In the past 40 years, she has created more than 120 children’s novels.
Review on Yang’s Works
Yang really understands children and has always been discovering and thinking about the specific childhood problems in the context of the way children think about themselves. She has decoded children’s innocence with the modern view of children, helping to liberate children from required reading, and creating and retaining a healthy spiritual home for children in modern time. Her style of writing is humorous and relaxed. Her themes and narrate the joys and sorrows of urban children in a way that is attractive to children. The combination of fairy tale and novel, literature and education has both implications on imagination and implication on the reality of life.
Cited in the South China Morning Post[3], “Yang has a knack for entering children’s inner world with her writing – she can decode childhood,” says Wang Shuli, an editor at Writers’ Publishing House who first brought the writer to national attention in 2000.
Besides, cited from Xinhua.net[4], Zheng Zhong, president of Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing said, “The writer of children’s fiction should have an awareness of childhood, as Yang does. Her background in child psychology shines through in her books.”
“The responsibility of a children’s writer is to write in a way that is interesting and easy to read for them. That way, they can fall in love with reading,” said Yang[5].
For More Book Review Articles, please click on each title:
Girls Diary review by Zhang Liqin
Mo’s Mischief review by Qiao Shihua
Mo’s Mischief- The Four Troublemakers
Smiling Cat review by Li Lifang
Smiling Cat-The Blue Rabbit-ear Grass
The Dear Clumsy Piggy review by Li Lifang
- Her new 28th title of Diary of a Smiling Cat series on 202206, named Elephant’s distance.
- Released her new 29th title of Naughty Boy series(Mo’s Mischief series) on 202105, named Seven days and seven nights.
- Released her new 28th title of Naughty Boy series(Mo’s Mischief series) on 202008, named Mon I love you.
- Released her new 27th title of Naughty Boy series on Saturday August 31st 2019,named Cherry town.
- Yang Hongying’s children’s book library is the first in China, named after the author of the “shop in the shop.”It was initiated by Ms. Yang Hongying and established together with Zhejiang Children’s Publishing House, Tomorrow Publishing House and Anhui Children’s Publishing House, aiming to provide healthy and progressive spiritual “feast” for teenagers and children.At present, six have been opened in Sichuan, Liaoning, Guangdong, Shandong and other places.
- Publishing Perspectives interviewed Yang Hongying at 2019 Frankfurt Book Fair[4][5][6][7].
- The new book, Panda’s Diary, will be launched on Saturday, 16th November at 2019 CCBF. Mr. James Bryant and Ms. Jiang Yanping are invited to the event. You could find sample books under Madame Yang’s “Key Series” section.
- Tomorrow Publishing House announced 70 millionth copies sold of Diary of a Smiling Cat Series at Tianfu Book Fair on 30th November 2019.
- Yang Hongying’s Born in the Year of Cat from series “Diary of a Smiling Cat” was recognized as the Best Children’s Literature, announced by OpenBook’s 2019 Annual Selection of Bookstores.
- Tomorrow Publishing House announced 70 millionth copies sold of Diary of a Smiling Cat Series and launch of new joint series “Smiling Cat and Ma Xiaotiao”[8][9][10]
- Jiang Boyan LLC licensed the audiobook rights outside of China for the entire new series “Smiling Cat and Ma Xiaotiao.” This may in fact be the first time in the history of Chinese publishing that the global audiobook rights for outside of China have been sold prior to the release of the actual books. The case has been forwarded by multiple Chinese media [11][12][13][14][15].1
- Profile of Yang Hongying on Chinawriter.com
- Mo’s Michief Series leading children growth, 2019
- Profile of Yang Hongying on Chinawriter.com, 2019
- OpenBook Market Projection, 2019
- Profile of Yang Hongying on 360 Baike, 2019
- Yang Hongying’s awards and achievements, 2019
- Primary school students love Yang Hongying’s classics, which are still popular in the new century, 2017
- A girl’s growth diary that has been bestselling title for 19 years, 2019
- A new chapter for children’s book authors in China posted by South China Morning Post:
- Chinese Writer Yang Hongying Talks about Children’s Books with Readers posted by Women of China, 2016
- Yang Hongying’s children’s book library, 2018
- Publishing Perspectives’s interview on Yang Hongying, 2019
- Wechat public account forwarded Publishing Perspectives’ interview of Yang Hongying, 2019
- Jiang’s speech at Frankfurt Book Fair with referring to Yang Hongying, 2019
- OpenBook Wechat public account forwarded Publishing Perspectives’ interview of Yang Hongying, 2019
- Yang Hongying’s key series and sample books, 2019
- Promotion of Panda’s Diary Series on Wechat public account
- Announcement of Panda’s Diary Series reported by OpenBook Wechat
- Tomorrow Publishing House announced 70 millionth copies sold of Diary of a Smiling Cat Series at Tianfu Book Fair on 30th November 2019
More reports by media:
- Wikipedia Page about Yang Hongying
- China Youth Daily report on Mo’s Mischief new title, The Cherry Town, 2019
- Wechat public account report on Mo’s Mischief new title, The Cherry Town, 2019
- Wikipedia Page about Yang Hongying’s Mo’s Mischief Series
- News about Yang Hongying’s Children’s Book Library on chinawriter.com, 2017
- Tom Hanks will be nominated for his roll as MR Rogers. Yang Hongying was also associated to Mr. Rogers as an idol of children.
- Introduction about Panda’s Diary by Yang Hongying Wechat Public Account.
- Introduction about Yang’s Fairytale series by Yang Hongying Wechat Public Account.
- Other media, including OpenBook Wechat Public Account, Winshare Wechat Public Account, and Yang Hongying Wechat Public Account, forwarded celebration of 70 millionth copies sold of Diary of a Smiling Cat Series.
The two books are the author’s representative works, they are talking about stories for juvenile and suitable for film adaptation.
First edition time: 200008
Word count: ~200,000(by Chinese characters)
Total sales up to date: 3,000,000 copies
Chinese publisher: The Writer’s Publishing House
Yang Hongying’s novels use simple, plain language, and the first-person narration style of the Diary of a Girl, allows readers from aged 8-15 to easily experience the feelings only found in this stage of life. As of end of 2022, this book with multiple editions has projected sales over 3 million copies in China.
This is a beautifully written diary and exceptionally popular with girls. It describes both physical and psychological changes that Ran DongYang of the sixth grade experiences as she grows from a little girl into a teenager.
Personality description:
Ran Dongyang: The protagonist of the story, a girl. Ran Dongyang is not beautiful, nor is she particularly smart. However, she is kind, gentle, considerate, emotional and natural. In order to help Mei Xiaoya whose family is in difficulty, she tried every means and spared no effort. Overwhelmed by her parents’ discord, Moxiner often consoled them. Ran Dongyang is still a filial girl. On her 12th birthday, she did not want to ask for gifts from her parents, but bought twelve carnations for her mother.
Mei Xiaoya: Ran Dongyang’s friend, a girl. she grew up in an unfortunate family, but she refuses others’ pity and bravely shoulders the burden of life. In the days with her, Ran Dongyang tasted the hardships of life and realized the strong.
Mo Xiner: Ran Dongyang’s friend, a girl. In order to save her parents’ marriage, she tried to be a beloved girl, has been in fear of growing up. But her parents eventually broke up, and her grades plummeted. Thanks to Ran Dongyang and the teacher enlightened her many times, her restless mood slowly calmed down.
Wu Mian: Wu Mian is a boy of manly qualities, also is Ran Dongyang’s friend. He is insightful, responsible and adventurous. He is creative and has a sense of humor. He is good at playing with computers and doing Olympic math problems. After his parents divorced, he chose to live with his mother and often took care of her as a man. Whenever his classmates are in trouble, he is always generous to help them.
2. 男生日记Diary of a Boy
First edition time: 200201
Word count: ~150,000 (by Chinese characters)
Total sales up to date: 2,000,000 copies
Chinese publisher: The Writer’s Publishing House
Yang Hongying succeeded in shaping Wu Meng’s image of a small but manly boy with personality, responsibility and adventurism, especially highlighting the most valuable qualities of a charming boy: humor and creativity, which will allow teenagers from 8-15 inspire their transformation. As of end of 2022, this book with multiple editions over decades has projected sales over 2 million copies in China.
Diary of a Boy, a sequel to Girl’s Diary, records Wu Mian’s wonderful and unforgettable summer life after graduation: he joined his father on a journey to Tibet. In addition to this new and exciting adventure, he has also completed a spiritual conversation between a man and a boy.
Personality description:
Wu Mian: The protagonist of the story, a boy. He is insightful, responsible and adventurous. He is creative and has a sense of humor. He is good at playing with computers and doing Olympic math problems. After his parents divorced, he chose to live with his mother, and he often took care of her like a man. Whenever his classmates are in trouble, he is always generous to help them.
Wu Wei: Wu Mian’s father, a photographer who travels around the world, took Wu Mian to Sichuan and Tibet to travel after he graduated from primary school.
Qin Yige: Wu Mian’s mother works as an art editor in a children’s publishing house. She loves animals.
Ran Dongyang: Classmate of Wumian Primary School, a girl. Ran Dongyang is not beautiful, nor is she particularly smart, but she is kind, gentle, understanding, emotional, and natural. When Wu Mian trusted Ran Dongyang with his pet, he made a promise to send her a postcard every time he went.
Gu Long Fei and Jing Dou Dou: The best friends of Wu Ming, two boys, a pair of comedy stars, the two always sing together, put all the energy into the funny.
Lu Yunfei: a close friend of Wu Mian, nicknamed “Lu Feifei”, likes to walk with his hands behind his back.
Qiangba: A Tibetan singer living in Kangding, a friend and “tour guide” of Wu Mian’s father, a tall man in a trilby hat, plaid shirt, jeans, and boots.
Liu Shuai: The automobile soldier on the Sichuan-Tibet Line, Wu Mian ride his car to travel. Liu Shuai’s father and grandfather died along the Sichuan-Tibet Route.
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