沈苇

Shen Wei is a contemporary Chinese writer about whom limited public information is available. Judging from the two works included here, In the Heart of Asia: 111 Words and The Book of Water, his writing spans both the personal essay and modern poetry, and often centres on place, travel, and the experience of language. In the Heart of Asia: 111 Words is organised as a series of entries, each word opening onto observations of the geography, landscape, and culture of inland Asia; its form lies somewhere between essay and dictionary and shows a sustained attention to local knowledge. The Book of Water leans more toward poetic expression, with compressed language and cool, spare imagery. On the whole, Shen Wei's writing attends to the relationship between words and space, and is restrained and reflective in style. Because public records are limited, details of his life, education, and writing career cannot be confirmed; readers may approach his work through these two books.