Mao Dun 茅盾 [pen name of Shen Dehong 沈德鴻, also known by his courtesy name Shen Yanbing 沈雁冰] 1896-1981

Mao is celebrated as the leading realist writer of modern China, especially for works such as Ziye 子夜 [Midnight] (1932). Born in Zhejiang, Mao Dun took up a position at the Commercial Press in Shanghai in 1916. He was a founding member of the Wenxue Yanjiu Hui 文學研究會 [Literary study society] in 1921. He completed the trilogy of novellas known collectively as Shi 蝕 [Eclipse] in 1928, and later became a leader in the League of Left-wing Writers. From 1949 to 1965 he served as Minister of Culture of the PRC. His complete works were published in 1984 by the People’s Literature Publishing House.

Works available in English:

  • Midnight (Hsu Meng-hsiung). Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 1957; Hong
       Kong: C. & W Publishing Co., 1976.
  • Rainbow (Madeleine Zelin). Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992.
  • Spring Silkworms and Other Stories (Sidney Shapiro). Beijing: Foreign
       Language Press, 1956.
  • The Vixen. Beijing: Chinese Literature, 1987.
  • Three Seasons and Other Stories (by Mao Tun, Yao Hsueh-yin, Pai Ping-chei,
       Chang Tien-yi) (Yeh Chun-chan). London: Staples, 1946.

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