Mo Yan (born Guan Moye) is a renowned Chinese author, celebrated for his unique style that blends hallucinatory realism with folk tales, history, and contemporary themes. He was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature for his contributions to literature.

Mo Yan was born on February 17, 1955, in Gaomi, Shandong Province, China. The pseudonym "Mo Yan" means "don't speak" in Chinese. He is often recognized as one of the most famous, frequently banned, and widely pirated Chinese writers, drawing comparisons to writers like Franz Kafka and Joseph Heller.

He gained international fame with his 1986 novel Red Sorghum, which was adapted into a film that won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1988. Mo Yan has also been honored with several prestigious awards, including the 2005 International Nonino Prize and the 2009 Newman Prize for Chinese Literature.