Young author Huang Yuning awarded the second edition of the Blancpain-Imaginist Literary Prize

In October 2019, young author Huang Yuning was awarded the Blancpain-Imaginist Literary Prize - in association with Imaginist Press, a Beijing-based publishing house - for her collection of short stories titled Eight and A Half. This annual distinction aims to create an influential, lively and international dialogue, support and encourage young writers as well as celebrate Chinese literature.

The panel of judges, composed of culture critic Dai Jinhua, filmmaker Jia Zhangke, writer Lu Nei, novelist Zhang Dachun and professor Huang Ziping, praised the laureate's talent for enriching her prose with rich and vivid details, as well as mastering both the essence of modern Western novels and Chinese writing skills. Blancpain's cultural ambassador in China, Leung Mantao, presented the Blancpain-Imaginist Literary Prize trophy, an artwork in itself, created by a well-known designer Lu Zhichang. The prize also includes a cash award of 300,000 yuan (approx. US$43,675) and a timepiece from the elegant Blancpain Villeret collection.