Chinese writer wins first Man Asian literary prize

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Jiang, 62, scooped the $10,000 Man Asian Literary Prize and potential international recognition for his novel "Wolf Totem."

"It's a very original book, it's on a grand scale and it deals with large questions," said Professor Nicholas Jose of Australia's University of Adelaide, who was one of the judges.

"Sometimes a book takes you into seriously different territory in a way that you will remember and Wolf Totem does that," he told Reuters.

The prize is sponsored by the Man Group Plc - the financial group behind the world-renowned Booker Prize. Publishing giant Penguin is set to release Jiang's work next March and it believes the book could become a global hit.

"He was completely unknown, this book came completely left field," said Jo Lusby, general manager for Penguin China.

"Something in your gut ... and publisher's sensibility screams out, this is really unusual and there's something that people have never seen from China," Lusby added.

Jiang's book, set on the desolate grasslands of inner Mongolia, tells the tale of nomads and settlers and their relation with wolves during China's tumultuous Cultural Revolution, exploring man's place in nature.

The ailing Jiang, who was not able to attend the black-tie awards dinner at a luxury Hong Kong restaurant, said in a statement that he was thrilled and hoped the prize would inspire Asian writers.

"I spent 30 years thinking, and 6 years writing Wolf Totem, and my only hope was to produce an appealing story," he said.

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