Jiang Zilong [Photo/enorth.com.cn]

Jiang Zilong, honorary chairman of Tianjin Writers Association, vice chairman of the 5th, 6th and 7th Chinese Writers Association, is a pioneer and representative writer of Reform Literature. His works are dedicated to shaping the image of the reformer.

The well-structured stories in his unique language, gripping plots with twists and turns and right enough details aim to present the readers a look into the era of reform. His insightful thoughts create many representative characteristics and happenings that reflect the key problems to the special time. Almost every work of his has enticed readers and has brought him admiration from later generations.

He has travelled globally and received education from western countries. Jiang Zilong had one particularly interesting story. At the American-American Writers' Association in Los Angeles, American poet Ginsberg asked him a riddle and said that the riddle had not been cracked in the past 20 years. Jiang claimed that he had not encountered a riddle that he could not answer since the age of three. The riddle Ginsberg asked was: If you put a 2,500-gram chicken into a bottle that can hold only 500 grams of water, how do you take it out. Jiang immediately replied, "You take it out just how you had put it in." Ginsberg laughed and gave a thumbs up, saying "You are the first person that guessed this riddle correctly."

Jiang Zilong at conference celebrating 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up [Photo/enorth.com.cn]