The Best East Asian Short Stories
East Asia: even the thought of the territory that spans from Japan to the vast expanse of China summons impressions of immense wisdom, devastating beauty, and great power. With more than 3,000 years of civilization behind it, East Asia is responsible for producing some of the most genius writers in the past, from Li Bai to Murasaki Shikibu. They challenged worldviews, founded entire philosophies, and created elegant works of art that still dazzle generations around the world centuries after their conception.Â
But who says that the past is all there is to this thoughtful genre? Todayâs crop of East Asian authors are some of the most exciting ones around, upping the game with fiery energy to another level altogether. Weâre also way beyond the days when the only accessible East Asian story in the bookstore was Amy Tanâs Joy Luck Club. Min Jin Lee, Haruki Murakami, R.F. Kuang: all of these brilliant authors, and many more, are pushing the envelope and re-inventing the canon before our very eyes.Â
Looking for some of the best East Asian stories?
Look no further: youâll find a collection of great East Asian stories written by up-and-coming authors on this directory, which gathers all of the stories that were submitted to our weekly short story competition for you to peruse. Check out the top of the page for the stories that were shortlisted by our panel of judges, representing the best of the best. You can also now find the cream of the crop compiled in our very own literary magazine, Prompted â it's available to download for free.
Donât forget to âLikeâ or comment on a story if you enjoyed it! And if you find a new favorite East Asian author through this directory? All you need to do is click âfollowâ to receive instant notifications when theyâve got new stories waiting for you to read.