Liu Xinwu facts for kids

Liu Xinwu (Chinese: 刘心武; born in June 1942) is a famous Chinese writer. He was one of the first authors to write in a new style after the time of Mao Zedong. This new style of writing is often called "scar literature."

About Liu Xinwu's Life

Liu Xinwu was born in Sichuan province, China. In 1950, his family moved to Beijing. This city is very important in many of his stories. Liu lived most of his life in Beijing.

During a big political movement called the Cultural Revolution, he worked in the countryside for a short time. This was a period when many people were sent to rural areas.

Early Writings and "Scar Literature"

In 1977, Liu published a short story called "Class counsellor." This story was one of the first to talk about the difficult times during the Cultural Revolution. It showed the problems and challenges people faced. Because of stories like this, his work is sometimes called "scar literature." This type of writing explores the emotional "scars" left by that period.

For much of the 1980s, Liu worked as an editor for important government publications. Later, he decided to focus completely on his own writing. He has written many novels, short stories, and even books for children. His stories often focus on the everyday lives of people in Beijing. He also writes about people who might feel like outsiders in society.

Exploring Classic Chinese Novels

Since the early 1990s, Liu Xinwu has also spent a lot of time studying a very famous 18th-century Chinese novel. This novel is called Dream of the Red Chamber. The study of this book is known as Redology.

Liu Xinwu's Unique Approach to Dream of the Red Chamber

Liu Xinwu has a special way of studying Dream of the Red Chamber. He believes that to understand the novel deeply, researchers should start by focusing on a character named Qin Keqing. This idea led to a new branch of study called Qin studies (Chinese: 秦學). In 2006, Liu even gave a talk at Columbia University in the United States to share this idea. He has also published books about The Dream with other famous Redology experts.

Books Translated into English

Many of Liu Xinwu's works have been translated so people around the world can read them. Here are some examples:

• Black Walls and Other Stories
• Chinese short stories of the twentieth century: an anthology in English (includes "The Class Teacher")
• Prize-winning Stories from China, 1978-1979 (includes "The Teacher")
• The Wedding Party
• The Wounded: new stories of the Cultural Revolution, 77-78 (includes "Class counsellor")