photo by Catherine Gabrol

Shan Sa

real name Yan Ni

her pseudonym may mean "wind rustle" or "wind scatter"

born October 28, 1972 in Beijing

published a collection of poems at age 8

received a prize for her poetry at age 15

shocked by the horrors of Tien An Men (April 4 - June 3, 1989

left China and joined her father at the Sorbonne in 1990 at age 17

studied philosophy and sociology in Paris at the Ecole Alsacienne

worked 1994 to 1996 as secretary for the painter Balthus, whom she met through his daughter, Harumi Klossowska

the feminist Setsuko Ideta (wife of Balthus and mother of Harumi) introduced her to Japanese civilization

1997, Porte de la paix celeste, editions du Rocher, received the bourse Goncourt du Premier roman

1999, second novel, Les quatre vies du saule, Gallimard, was awarded the Prix Cazes

2000, Le Vent vif et le glaive rapide, William Blake & Co

2001, third novel, La joueuse de go, Gallimard (2003, translated into English as The Girl Who Played Go, Knopf)

2002, Le miroir du calligraphe, Albin Michel

2003, a fourth novel, Imperatrice, Albin Michel