How many books has Mo Yan written?

Mo Yan has published 9 novels, 2 novellas and 1 short story collection that we list, as of September 2026.

What order should I read Mo Yan's books in?

Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Red Sorghum.

What is Mo Yan's most famous book?

Red Sorghum (1986) is Mo Yan's most widely read book.

Which Mo Yan books have been adapted?

1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including Red Sorghum (film, 1988).

Mo Yan books in order

Chinese novelist and screenwriter

Born: 1955
Country: People's Republic of China
Books: 12

Mo Yan has published 9 novels, 2 novellas and 1 short story collection, beginning with Red Sorghum (1986). The latest is Radish (2016).

Updated September 2026

Where to start with Mo Yan

Start here
Red Sorghum
Mo Yan's most-read book.
Newest
Radish
Published 2016.

Standalone novels in order

Red Sorghum (1986)
368 pagesAdapted for film
Buy
The Garlic Ballads (1988)
290 pages
Buy
The Republic of Wine (1992)
367 pages
Buy
Big Breasts and Wide Hips (1996)
Buy
Sandalwood Death (2001)
409 pages
Buy
Pow! (2003)
386 pages
Buy
Big Breasts & Wide Hips (2004)
550 pages
Buy
Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out (2006)
552 pages
Buy
Frog (2009)
516 pages
Buy

Novellas in order

Change (2012)
123 pages
Buy
Radish (2016)
96 pages
Buy

Short story collections in order

Shifu, You'll Do Anything for a Laugh (2001)
220 pages
Buy

Film and TV adaptations

Red Sorghum (1988)Film · from Red Sorghum
Red SorghumTV · from Red Sorghum

About Mo Yan

Mo Yan, born Guan Moye, is a Chinese writer. He gained attention for his 1984 novella, A Transparent Radish, and rose to international fame for his 1986 novel Red Sorghum, the first two parts of which were adapted into the Golden Bear-winning film Red Sorghum (1988). In 2012, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his work which "with hallucinatory realism merges folk tales, history and the contemporary".

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Mo Yan FAQ

How many books has Mo Yan written?: Mo Yan has published 9 novels, 2 novellas and 1 short story collection that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read Mo Yan's books in?: Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Red Sorghum.
What is Mo Yan's latest book?: Radish (2016).
What is Mo Yan's most famous book?: Red Sorghum (1986) is Mo Yan's most widely read book.
Which Mo Yan books have been adapted?: 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including Red Sorghum (film, 1988).

Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.