"Over the hill, I discovered no one was waiting..." These poignant lyrics, echoing through an award acceptance speech, have resonated deeply across Chinese social media.
"Life's tribulations become legends in retrospect," said Liu Chuxin, author of the novel Quagmire, as he accepted the Fiction Category award at the Lijiang Literary Awards. What began as an expected tale of love transformed into a deeply moving account of loss, bringing many in the audience to tears.
Source: CCTV News
Liu recounted meeting his first love while pursuing his PhD at Wuhan University in 2017. Consumed by literary ambitions, his college life circled around writing, with even walks with his girlfriend being interrupted by the urge to write. "Sometimes during a walk, I'd suddenly fall silent. She'd ask, 'Do you need to go back and write?' And I'd say yes," Liu recalled.
Source: CCTV News
Though disappointed, she always let him go. Liu often made promises – cosmetics, clothes – contingent on future publication or awards.
A pivotal moment came in 2020. His girlfriend listened to the Jonathan Lee song "Over the Hill". "If one day you really win an award, but I and your family aren't there anymore... you might understand," she told him, referencing the lyric about finding no one waiting. Recalling this prophecy, Liu broke down on stage.
Source: CCTV News
In 2021, after nearly four years together, Liu’s girlfriend passed away from stomach cancer. Among her belongings, he found a letter: "I hope you write a great work from your pain."
"If I could choose," Liu said, voice thick with emotion, "I'd trade any award, any book, just to have lived an ordinary life with her."
Liu Chuxin, 34, hails from Jingzhou, Hubei province, and now works at the Hubei Provincial Academy of Social Sciences. His passion for writing sparked at age 13. Decades of writing followed, marked by numerous rejections. "Each submission aimed to improve," he noted. "Progress came slowly, from silence to editors offering critiques."
Quagmire, the award-winning novel, was a decade-long labor. Conceived in 2013, drafted by 2016 and relentlessly revised, it reached its final form in 2024. Extensive research consumed Liu, mirroring the novel's title. "The protagonist remains trapped," Liu reflected, "but I was luckier. I managed to stand up again, both in writing and in life."
He emphasized the need for further refinement and exploration of new genres. Addressing aspiring writers, Liu shared his twenty-year journey: "Reconcile with literature at the right time. Not everyone needs to be Tolstoy, and the view isn't only best from the summit." He advocated for more awards supporting emerging voices.
Source: CCTV News
He concluded his acceptance speech by sharing his late girlfriend's enduring gift: "One experiences many hardships in life, but, looking back, they become legends." A message, he said, for all persevering on their path.
Reviewer1: Huang Mengyao
Reviewer2: Zhang Yanlan
Reviewer3:Tang Caihong
English Reviewer: Shen Fei