Lu Xun – Father of Chinese Literature

One of the most famous and influential literature theorists from Asia is Lu Xun. He was born on September 25, 1881 in Zhou Shuren in Shaoxing, in Zhejiang province. He is a son of an impoverished at the same time with highly educated parents. Being one of the major Chinese writers of the 20^th century and one of the greatest figures of Chinese’s literature, he had produced short fiction, essays, prose poetry, historical tales and total of sixty poems in a classical style. He had done scholarly researches as well. Though, he had never written a novel.

He is considered to be the founder of Modern Chinese Literature. His literary works played a prominent role in China’s fight for revolution as it characterized a need for a transformation of the country’s culture. He believed that China had a backward society which led him eventually to realize the importance of literature and its power to change the life of his country.

Lu Xun spent his time in school with the support of his grandfather. In 1983, he lived with his mother’s family after his grandfather was imprisoned. He attended Jiangnan Naval Academy and later went onto School of Mines and Railways at the Jiangnan Military Academy wherein in both institutions served as his eye openers to the world of Western language. He had also known more about scientific learning in the same school.

In 1902, he traveled to Japan to study Japanese language. He later then took up medicine at Sendai Provincial Medical Academy in 1904. Being the first foreign student to enter the school, he acquired a good reputation there. He had built good relationships to his mentor Fujino Genkurou. With their closeness, he gave a respect to his mentor through an affectionate essay called “Mr. Fujino” which is found in Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk.

Years later, he dropped out from school as he realized his great drive for writing. With this desire, while staying in Tokyo, he was the editor of New Life. He had made essays to contribute to a Communist journal called Hanan. At times, he made some collaborative text work with his brother Zhou Zuoren.

He returned to China after staying in Japan for years. In 1909, he had been a teacher in Hangzhou and Shaoxing. He is a Chinese literature instructor in National Beijing University from 1920-1926. Also, he was a teacher in Xiamen (Amoy) University in 1926 and University of Canton in 1927.

It was in 1918 when he published his first story, story ‘K’uangjen jih-chi’, translated in English as ‘The Diary of a Madman’. This is inspired from a Gogol short story which criticizes metaphorically the outdated Chinese traditions and feudalism. This story became famous on its appearance in a popular journal for intellectual revolution called Hsin ch’ingnie.

Lu Xun had become an active member of leftist organizations such as China Freedom League, League for the Defense of Civil Rights and League of Left-Wing Writers. Being also one of the great influences in the May Fourth Movement, he fought for the rise of the modernists, socially critical movement. They then became the symbols of intellectual and artistic freedom.

The year 1936 had been hard for Lu Xung. He had tuberculosis, which had him weakened. On the same year after the first illness, he had bronchitis, asthma, and fever. He was punctured to drain 300 grams of fluid in his lungs as a part of treatment. His inconsistent recovery had somehow let him make essays, which tackle things associated with mortality. “Death” and “This Too Is Life”. On October 18, he had a difficulty in breathing. His life ended on the next day with his wife beside him throughout his struggle in pain. His remains were placed within Lu Xun Park in a mausoleum in Shanghai, China.