Submissions for the third Sanmao Prose Prize, a biennial literary award given in Dinghai district, Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, recently began being accepted.

The event is co-hosted by the Dinghai authorities and the Literary Federation of Zhoushan under the guidance of the Zhejiang Writers' Association.

Before the end of October, participants must submit their Chinese proses or prose collections published in 2018 and 2019. The award ceremony is expected to be held next year. There will be 26 winners, with prize money ranging from 5,000 yuan ($706.09) to 50,000 yuan.

According to He Xuhua, director of the publicity department of Dinghai, the third Sanmao Prose Prize focuses more on promoting emerging prose writers than previous events by setting up dedicated awards for them. He also said that cultural exchange between the district and Chongqing will be held. 

The Sanmao Prose Prize is named after contemporary Chinese writer Sanmao, or Echo Chan, who is originally from Dinghai district but moved to Taiwan with her family at six. It is currently one of the top literary awards in Zhejiang province and has garnered a strong international reputation.

The event has received 1,233 submissions since it was initiated in 2016 and a total of 44 works have won awards. 

Dinghai authorities have stepped up efforts to promote Sanmao in recent years. In addition to the Sanmao Prose Prize, they have established a research council on Sanmao, renovated her ancestral house, and built a memorial hall, bookstore, park and characteristic town in her memory.

A series of cultural activities such as seminars and lectures have also been held. 

According to the local authorities, they will continue to organize various activities to promote Sanmao, enhance the cultural influence of the district, and boost its tourism and cultural industries.