Essayist Lu Xun commemorated in new Beijing exhibition

Portrait of Lu Xun, by Zhang Songhe, 1974. [Photo/www.namoc.org]

Writer Lu Xun stands as a cultural giant of the 20th-century in China, his influence extending beyond literature to the world of ideas, art, and even politics. To mark the 80th Anniversary of his passing, the Lu Xun Museum of Beijing has teamed up with the National Art Museum of China.

Born in 1881, Lu Xun not only emerged as a leading figure of modern Chinese literature but also a proponent of fine art as part of the "New Cultural Movement".

Marking the 100th anniversary of that movement, as well as the 80th anniversary of Lu Xun's death, this exhibition at the National Art Museum of China demonstrates Lu Xun's enduring popularity and relevance in present-day China.

Lu Xun was the pen name of Zhou Shuren. He gave up medical studies in Japan in his 20s after realizing it was more important to spiritually enlighten his compatriots than to restore their physical health.

While presenting Lu Xun's creative output and artistic development through different periods, the exhibition also unveils the evolution of Chinese art in the 20th century.

It runs until May the 22nd at the National Art Museum of China.