Author Mai Jia enjoys popularity with a series of espionage novels. Provided to China Daily

The espionage novel Decoded has become the first contemporary Chinese fiction ever published by Penguin Classics, marking its entry into the mainstream of global literature.

The face of public diplomacy

Remembering a golden age of letters

The English edition of the work by Mai Jia debuted in 21 countries recently and is the first of Mai's oeuvre of four books to be translated into English.

Decoded was first published in Chinese in 2002.

Its main character, Rong Jinzhen, is an autistic math genius from an illustrious family. Rong is hired by the military's top secret Unit 701 to break two highly advanced codes - Code Purple and Code Black. He experiences loneliness, loss and finally madness.

The novel also explores metaphysical concepts, such as dream interpretation and the fine line between genius and insanity.

John Makinson, chairman of Penguin Random House, visited Mai in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, and brought him a deluxe English edition of Decoded.

Makinson says he hoped the novel's English version would help Penguin Classics find more Chinese authors and publications.

International awareness of Decoded is well deserved. The top-selling Chinese espionage novelist and former soldier found writing the book to be a long and arduous process.

"It took 10 years and the manuscript was sent back 17 times to be rewritten," says Mai, 50.

He compared the book to a grindstone that, despite the hard work, helped him complete his literary creation.