10 Great Writers from

China’s Long Literary History

1. Qu Yuan ( 339-278)
Was a statesman and poet during the Warring State Period. He has been
attributed to the first seven poem of the Chu ci (Song of Chu). He also
composed a poem “ Li Sao” ( Encountering Sorrow).

2. Wang Wei ( 701- 761)

Was a painter, musician, poet, and
devout Buddhist. He composed “
landscape poems” while roaming the
lands near the Wang River, exchanging
verses with his friend Pie Di. He was
referred to as Shi fo, or the Buddha of
Poetry.
3. Shi Nai’en ( 1296-1372)
Was the author of the first of the “ four great classical novels,” though some historians believe his mentors Guanzhong
played a role its writing. Not much is known about Shi, but the work the work attributed to him, Shuihu zhuan ( Water
Margin).

4. Lou Guanzhong (1330-1400)

Was a prolific writer who has had many anonymous works attributed
to him over the years. Historians agree that the second of the “ four
great classical novels,” Sanguo yani ( Romance of the Three
Kingdoms), was written by Lou.
5. Wu Cheng’en (c. 1500 -1582)
The author to whom the third “ four classical novel,” Xi you ji ( Journey to the West), is
attributed. Loosely based on the historical account of the Buddhist monk, Xuanzan, the
novel contained religious themes, witty dialogue, and elegant poems, as well as critical
commentary on contemporary Ming-era China.

6. Laughing Scholar or Lanling

was the pseudonym of the acknown author of the
controversial novel Jin Ping Mei ( The Plum in the
Golden Vase). It has been frequently banned for its
pornographic nature since its publication around
1610. American translator David Todd Roy
suspected poet Xu Wei ( 1521-1593) to be its
author.
7. Cao Xuequin ( 1715-1763/64)
Was the author of the fourth of the “ four greatest classical novels), Honglou meng (Dream
of the Red Chamber), which told the story an aristocratic family and its downfall. The
novel was written in vernacular and published in two editions: the 80 chapter version
reportedly based on Cao’s life, and the 120-chapter “ Cheng edition,” published
posthumously in 1791 and believed to have been enhance by the scholar Gao E. Cao’s
novel is so important to Chinese literature that entire field of
Study called hongxue ( redology) arose in 1920s.

8. Lu Xun (1881-1963)
Studied medicine in Japan as young man but ulti-
mately conclude that he was better served as writer.
In 1918, he published his first short story, A Madman’s Diary,
the first colloquial story in modern Chinese literature. His writings
comprised many genres, from fiction to zawen (satire) to historical account
of Chinese fiction.
Mao Zedong called Lu “ the standard bearer” of the new Chinese culture that arose after
the May Fourth Movement.

9. Ba Jin ( 1904- 2005)

He began his career as a poet but achieve fame as novelist.
His most famous novels was Jia ( The Family). In addition
to these novels, he also translated Russian, British, German,
and Italian works. Ba Jin’s most famous later works
was Suixiang lu ( Random Thoughts), a painful
reflection on the Culture Revolution in which he
was persecuted as a “ counter- revolutionary.”
10. Zhang Ailing ( or Eileen Chang) ( 1920-1995)
Was a student during Japanese occupation of Hong Kung during WorId War II. She returned
to her home in Shanghai and supported herself by publishing short stories and novels
about plight of women in difficult romantic relationships. She wrote the anti-communist
novel Rice Sprout Song in 1952 and moved to the United States three years later, where
she wrote novels and screenplays. In 2007, Ang Lee directed a movie adaptation of her
novel Lust, Caution.
QU YUAN
Wang Wei
Shi Nai’ en
Lou Guanzhong
Wu Cheng’en
Cao Xuequin
Lu Xun
Ba Jin
Zhang Ailing