Portrait: AI-generated imagined likeness

Lu Xun

Writer · Novelist · translator · Poet

Years: 1881–1936
Birthplace: China
Birth polity: Late Qing China
Era: Modern
Field: Literature
Occupations: Writer · Novelist · translator · Poet

A representative writer of modern Chinese literature. He criticized the old society in works such as ``Diary of a Mad Person'' and ``A Q Seiden,'' and became associated with the new culture movement. He is a person who thinks about modern Chinese thought and literature.

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Historical context

Places

Shaoxing
Birth
Beijing
Publication

Works & achievements

Diary of a Madman
1918
Book
The True Story of Ah Q
1921
Book

Events

New Culture Movement
1915–1920
Movement · Participant

Origins

Origins map

Birth country

Birth country: China

Map: Natural Earth (PD)

Biography

Early life

Born in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, he also studied abroad in Japan. From the end of the Qing Dynasty to the beginning of the Republic of China, there was a need to reform language, education, and culture due to pressure from the great powers and setbacks in domestic reforms.

Achievements

A novel written in Bai Cha Wen, it sharply depicts the conventions, authoritarianism, and violence against the weak in Chinese society. Through literature, he encouraged individual awakening and social criticism, and shaped the image of modern Chinese intellectuals.

Character & anecdotes

It is said that after studying medicine, Lu Xun decided to pursue a career in literature, believing that it was necessary to change the mind more than the body. His works are full of satire, anger, and a poignant look at the underdog.

Historical Impact

When we study Lu Xun, we understand that the transformation of modern China was carried out not only in the political system, but also in language, literature, ideology, and everyday ethics. He is a fundamental figure in reading 20th century Chinese culture, and also provides material for thinking about the distance between literature and revolution.