Mo Yan speaks up about his silence  

莫言对谈库切 回应“默言”质疑

第二届“中澳文学论坛”2日在北京开幕，中国和澳大利亚两位诺贝尔文学奖得主莫言与库切的演讲引人注目，他们演讲的共同主题是“诺贝尔文学奖及其意义”。莫言首次在演讲中公开回应众多质疑，直言写作也是一种发声，不一定非要讲话。

Beijing (CNS) -- Nobel laureate Mo Yan said in a speech Tuesday that writing is also a voice, although not an utterance, responding to critics about his silence in public for the first time.

Mo made the speech at the Second China-Australia Literary Forum in Beijing, which invited another Nobel laureate in literature, Australian writer J.M. Coetzee.

As for expectations of his utterance, Mo said, "Of course I could give utterance, but I would feel ashamed if I went around as a Nobel winner, even if others don't loathe it." Writing is also a way of speaking, a much more important way, he added.

"I only hope to return to my writing desk as soon as possible," Mo said. "And I would also like to do something good for society anonymously."

Mo said he was bothered by numerous requests asking him to offer help, which took advantage of his fame.

A writer has nothing special, and it would hurt writers to offer them high positions in society, Mo said.

"I still consider myself an ordinary citizen who writes. And presenting quality works is my duty and best way of giving back to society."

Mo ended his speech with humor: "A new Nobel laureate will come out in six months, and the public will no longer focus on me. I look forward to it."

"Mo Yan" — meaning "don't speak" in Chinese — is his pen name.