Yan Ge

Ge Yan (格非) — who also publishes under the name Yan Ge — writes fiction that refuses to sit still. Strange Beasts of China is a compulsive, genre-bending novel that reads like a naturalist's field guide to imaginary creatures while quietly dissecting questions of otherness, desire, and belonging. The Chilli Bean Paste Clan is a riotous family saga set in a Sichuan town, full of secrets, feuds, and — naturally — excellent food.

Her contribution to That We May Live, an anthology of speculative Chinese fiction, shows yet another register: experimental, eerie, politically charged. Born in Sichuan and now based abroad, Ge Yan brings a playful, restless intelligence to everything she writes. She's one of those rare writers who can make you laugh, unsettle you, and break your heart in the same paragraph — often while describing something that shouldn't exist.