Famous Chinese Novelists

J. G. Ballard was an English novelist, satirist, short story writer, and essayist. Renowned for his uniqueness, Ballard's style of fiction is referred to as Ballardian in the literary world. Many of his works have inspired movies, such as Crash and High-Rise. J. G. Ballard’s work has also inspired other popular writers like John Gray, Terry Dowling, and Lee Killough.

Nobel Prize-winning Chinese author Mo Yan is best known for his novel Red Sorghum Family, which was later made into a film. His novel Big Breasts and Wide Hips was dragged into controversy for its sexual content, and the Communist Party made Yan withdraw the book from publication.

Jin Yong was a Chinese wuxia novelist and essayist. He is credited with co-founding the popular Hong Kong publication Ming Pao, for which he served as the first editor-in-chief. Jin Yong is regarded as one of the most popular and greatest wuxia writers of all time. His works have been translated into several languages including Spanish, French, English, and Japanese.

Mervyn Peake was an English writer, poet, artist, and illustrator. He is best remembered for writing a series of fantasy books, which are collectively referred to as Gormenghast. Although his work as an illustrator and painter did not gain popularity during his lifetime, Mervyn Peake's drawings are highly respected by his friends and peers.

Son of a Christian minister, Lin Yutang was initially supposed to join the ministry but later rejected Christianity to become a professor. His works include several Chinese and English books, such as Moment in Peking. He also introduced the concept of satire magazines in China with Lunyu banyuekan.

Gao Xingjian is a Chinese-born émigré and French naturalized playwright, novelist, critic, photographer, film director, translator, and painter. He is best known for winning the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature in 2000. Gao Xingjian has also received other major awards, including the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement. 

Born to a Chinese father and a Belgian mother in China, Han Suyin initially studied medicine and also worked as a midwife. During her medical practice in Hong Kong, she was in a relationship with a married Australian war reporter, which was the basis of her iconic novel A Many-Splendoured Thing.

Qian Zhongshu was a Chinese writer and literary scholar. Renowned for his wit and erudition, Qian is perhaps best remembered for his popular satirical novel, Fortress Besieged. Qian Zhongshu is also remembered for playing a key role in digitizing Chinese classics.

Cao Xueqin was a Chinese writer who was active during the Qing dynasty. Cao is best remembered for authoring one of the Four Classic Chinese Novels, Dream of the Red Chamber. Although he garnered no or little fame during his lifetime, Cao Xueqin achieved posthumous fame and his works continue to influence new generations of Chinese poets and novelists.

Wu Cheng'en was a Chinese poet, novelist, and politician who was active during the Ming Dynasty. He is often credited with authoring a Classic Chinese Novel titled Journey to the West. Wu Cheng'en's possible composition of the famous novel is his main claim to fame, although he also wrote numerous stories and poems, most of which have been lost. 

Yu Hua is a Chinese author whose big breakthrough came in 1987, thanks to his short story On the Road at Age Eighteen. Considered a promising avant-garde writer, Yu Hua is also regarded by many critics as a champion for Chinese postmodernist writing. His works, which have earned him several prestigious awards, have also been translated into numerous languages.

Ha Jin is a Chinese-American novelist and poet. His works have been honored with several prestigious awards like the National Book Award for Fiction, Pushcart Prizes, and the PEN/Faulkner Award. In addition to writing award-winning novels and poems, Ha Jin also teaches at Boston University.

Lao She was a Chinese dramatist and novelist. He is widely regarded as one of the 20th century's most significant figures of Chinese literature. Lao She is perhaps best remembered for his play Teahouse and his novel Rickshaw Boy. In addition to writing plays and novels, Lao also worked as a lecturer at educational institutions, including the University of London.

Wang Dulu was a Chinese novelist who explored themes like science fiction, mystery, and wuxia romance. He is best remembered for his Crane-Iron Series, a series of interlinked novels, which includes the famous novel Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The novel achieved popularity in the West when it was adapted into an award-winning film of the same name by Ang Lee.

Ding Ling was a Chinese writer best known for her socialist realist and feminist literature. She is widely regarded as one of the 20th century's most celebrated Chinese women authors. Ding Ling was also active in political affairs of the Chinese Communist Party, for which she was arrested by the Chinese Nationalist Party.

Xiao Hong was a Chinese writer who used pen names like Lingling and Qiao Yin. She was subjected to dramatic situations during her lifetime, which encouraged film director Huo Jianqi to make a biopic of Xiao Hong titled Falling Flowers. Xiao Hong's life and career have also inspired another biopic titled The Golden Era, which was directed by Ann Hui.

Mao Dun was a Chinese, novelist, essayist, playwright, journalist, and political leader. He is best remembered for his novel Midnight, which depicts life in cosmopolitan Shanghai. Mao Dun is also remembered for his service as the Minister of Culture from 21 October 1949 to January 1965. Mao Dun is also credited with translating many important works of western literature.

Shen Congwen was a Chinese writer who is often compared to Lu Xun and is counted among the greatest modern Chinese writers. He was twice nominated for the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature and was slated to win the award in 1988, but died before he could receive the prize.

Bing Xin was an author who is widely regarded as one of the 20th century's most prolific Chinese women writers. Bing Xin, who wrote mainly for young readers, is credited with making immense contribution to the development of Chinese children's literature. Bing Xin also taught at the University of Tokyo. 

Li Yu was a Chinese novelist, playwright, and publisher. He is generally credited with authoring a classic of Chinese erotic literature titled Ròu pútuán. Li Yu achieved popularity during his lifetime for dealing with controversial and interesting subject matter like same-sex love. Li is also remembered for his informal essays and gastronomical writings.

Tang dynasty author and politician Yuan Zhen, who penned the iconic work Yingying's Biography, is remembered for his use of the guwen, or the ancient Chinese prose style. Part of the literary circle that included legendary poet Bai Juyi, he viewed literature as a way to improve society.

Yu Lihua was a Chinese writer who also served as a cultural ambassador between the US and China. She wrote over 30 works, including short-stories, novels, translations, and newspaper articles over a period of six decades. Yu Lihua also worked as a teacher of Chinese language and literature at prestigious institutions including the State University of New York at Albany.

Liu Binyan was a Chinese journalist, author, and political dissident. He is best remembered for his memoir, A Higher Kind of Loyalty. Liu Binyan attracted a fair bit of controversy during his lifetime by publishing works like On the Bridge Worksite, which exposed corruption and bureaucratism. Among Liu Binyan’s other controversial works is The Inside Story of Our Newspaper.

Wu Jingzi was a Chinese scholar and writer who was active during the Qing dynasty. He is best remembered for authoring a satirical novel titled The Scholars. Although most of his works have been lost and his life remains a mystery, Wu Jingzi is believed to have had contacts with famous philosophers like Li Gong and Yan Yuan.

Zhao Shuli was a Chinese novelist best remembered as one of the major figures of modern Chinese literature. He is also remembered for his role as a leader in the Shanyaodan, one of the most important and influential literary movements in China during the mid-20th century. 

Bian Zhilin was a Chinese poet, literature researcher, and translator. In addition to his writing career, Zhilin also worked as a teacher and taught at prestigious institutions like Beijing University, National Southwestern Associated University, and Sichuan University.

Du Guangting was a Chinese fiction writer and Taoist priest who was active during imperial China's Tang Dynasty. He is best remembered for his short novel The Man with the Curly Beard, which is regarded as the earliest written novel in the wuxia genre.

Zhang Tianyi was a Chinese writer and children's author. Best remembered for his satiric wit, Tianyi achieved fame in the 1930s, thanks to his short stories and novels. Zhang Tianyi also worked as a teacher and journalist and contributed as an editor to a popular literary journal named People's Literature. 

Chinese author and critic Baren is considered one of the greatest modern Chinese literary figures from the 20th century. Initially a school teacher, he later joined the Chinese Communist Party. He had also served as the Chinese ambassador to Indonesia. He was executed during the Cultural Revolution.

A 20th-century Hakka Chinese author and scientist, Zhang Ziping had received his education in Japan, before starting his literary career in China. He was also a teacher of geology, an editor, and a co-founder of the Creation Society. He later set up his own publishing house and mastered romantic fiction.