Lu Xun

The Profile

Lu Xun (1881–1936), pen name of Zhou Shuren, was a leading Chinese writer and essayist whose 1918 short story 'A Madman's Diary' is considered a keystone of modern Chinese literature. He was a major voice of early 20th-century Chinese intellectual movements.

Born 1881, died 1936. Pen name of Zhou Shuren. Studied in Japan. Key figure associated with the May Fourth Movement and early modern Chinese literature. 'A Madman's Diary' (1918) and 'The True Story of Ah Q' (1921) are among his most influential works.

The review praises Lu Xun's 'Diary of a Madman' as a keystone of modern Chinese literature, using a cannibalism metaphor to critique traditional society. It highlights the story's sparse, chilling style and its influence on early 20th-century Chinese intellectual movements. The review interprets the work as a heartfelt call for societal change.