BORN in Sichuan in 1942, Liu Xinwu moved to Beijing in 1950. After graduating in Chinese literature from Beijing Teacher’s College in 1961, he was a high school teacher for 15 years.

    In 1976, he became an editor for Beijing Publishing House. His short story, “The Class Teacher” published in 1977, was one of the earliest examples of scar literature, a genre of Chinese literature which emerged in the late 1970s. This genre portrayed the sufferings of intellectuals during the tragic experiences of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976).

    Liu is famed for his satirical tone in his short stories and essays, most of which attack social problems and condemn hypocrisy in human relationships.

    As a writer with an amazing wide range of interests, Liu is also an architecture critic. (Cao Zhen)