According to Mao, while Mo is famous among most Gaomi citizens, now they want to know more about him by visiting the museum, so they can understand how the area produced such a great writer.
The museum is non-profit and supported by both the city government and private donors from intellectual circles.
The four-story building, opened to the public in 2009, is located inside the First Middle School of Gaomi in the downtown area. Only the first two stories are in use.
On the first floor of the museum are over 5,000 books Mo donated. On the second floor is an exhibition hall to introduce in detail Mo's literature over the past 30 years, his honors and achievements, and his growth from a rural boy to an international figure.
"We asked Mo for his input when establishing the association [that runs the museum], and he wrote us a letter, which said that he is just an ordinary man of words writing stories that happened in Gaomi," Mao said. "He said it is not a big deal, and he would treat the research about him as a reminder for him to write more and better works."
Exhibited history
The museum showcases the honors and prizes Mo has collected over the years, and describes how Mo stepped into the literary field, even though he dropped out before finishing his primary school education.
The exhibition goes through, with pictures and materials, Mo's confusing youth, his thirst for books, his early attempts at writing, and the years he spent in the army and then as a journalist before becoming a professional writer.
Mao said that he started to collect the exhibited materials in the 1990s, from Mo and his relatives.
The museum has seen over 10,000 visitors from both at home and abroad.
"Now we are considering updating and improving the museum to meet demand," he told Global Times.
"We are also designing the third and fourth floor to put them in use as planned, to provide more information about Mo. We have already got necessary materials ready."
It is difficult to find Mo Yan's books in bookstores. It's even more difficult to find Mo, particularly for journalists.
Du Qinlan, Mo's wife, would not tell the Global Times of her husband's whereabouts.
But she added that the family continues on as normal, without being derailed by the prize. "We eat and get dressed like before," she said. "Only the media are stirred up."
Source: Global Times
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