Lu Xun: The Father of Modern Chinese Literature

Ah Q-ism? Kong Yiji literature? What’s all this talk about the “iron house” and “eating people”? From Maoist appropriations to contemporary internet memes, allusions to Lu Xun’s work are ubiquitous in modern Chinese culture. The first half of this workshop will provide a foundational introduction to Lu Xun and his legacy, situating his fiction in its critical historical context and familiarizing participants with some of his most influential characters and ideas. Participants will be provided with discussion questions in advance and will be invited to share their own questions and insights during the second half of the workshop.

• • Starts:
  • March 6, 2025
• • Ends:
  • March 6, 2025
• • Time Detail:
  • 4-6pm (PT)
• • Learning Format:
  • Online
• • Type of Course:
  • Book Study
• • Offered to:
  • All States
• • Registration and Info:

  • This book study will focus on three core texts from Call to Arms, a volume of collected short stories published in 1923: Lu Xun’s “Preface” (pp. 15-20); “Diary of a Madman” (pp 21-31); and “Kong Yiji” (pp. 32-36). Participants are expected to read these texts and preview the discussion questions on their own before the workshop.

    Participants will receive a free copy of the book The Real Story of Ah-Q and Other Tales of China: The Complete Fiction of Lu Xun (Penguin Classics) before the program.