About Alai
Born 1959. Alai is a Chinese writer, politician, poet and novelist.
Alai (; ; born 1959 in Sichuan Province) is a Chinese-language poet and novelist of Rgyalrong Tibetan descent. He is also a former editor of Science Fiction World.
Works Alai's notable novel Red Poppies, published in 1998, follows a family of Tibetan chieftains, the Maichi, during the decade or so before the "liberation" of Tibet by the People's Liberation Army in 1951. Their feudal life in the Tibetan borderlands, narrated by the youngest "idiot" son, is described as cruel, romantic, and full of intrigue (with the Annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China presented as a great advance for the Tibetan peasantry). Red Poppies won the 5th Mao Dun Literary Prize in 2000 and was selected as a finalist for the Kiriyama Prize in 2002.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Alai's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Alai's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Alai?
Tibetan author
When was Alai born?
Alai was born in 1959 in Aba Town.
What is Alai's occupation?
Alai is a writer, politician, poet and novelist.
What nationality is Alai?
Alai is Chinese.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Alai. https://biography.guide/alai/
MLA: "Alai." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/alai/.
Chicago: "Alai." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/alai/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:34 UTC