IT appears that Lu Xun is as popular as ever, even though the pioneer of modern Chinese literature has been dead for 75 years.

People queued up to lay flowers in front of Lu’s granite tomb in Shanghai on Saturday, the 130th anniversary of his birth, paying their respect to the writer whose works are believed to have enlightened the public when China was being victimized by feudalism and imperialism.

The number of visitors to the Lu Xun Museum on Saturday was several times higher than usual. Many lined up to get a memorial postmark to commemorate the writer’s birthday.

The newly renovated museum in Shanghai exhibits over 1,000 items in memory of Lu, which includes many of his belongings.

The exhibition also displays the fruit of the past 10 years of research on Lu, said Wang Xirong, curator of the museum.

Experts and scholars across the world have been studying Lu’s works and thoughts for decades.

Lu Xun is the pen name of Zhou Shuren. He was born in Shaoxing County of East China’s Zhejiang Province on Sept. 25, 1881 and died Oct. 9, 1936.

He gave up medical study in Japan in his 20s after realizing that it was more important to spiritually enlighten his compatriots rather than restore their physical health.

Through his works, the master of irony produced harsh criticism on social problems in China.

He wrote a number of literary classics including essays, poems and short stories. Among his great works are “The True Story of Ah Q,” “A Madman’s Diary,” “Kong Yiji” and “Medicine,” which exposed the ugly side of feudal society and human nature and emancipated people’s minds.

His works are a mainstay in Chinese textbooks.

In his hometown Shaoxing, the city government and the writers’ association in Zhejiang last week sponsored a reading party during which college students read aloud Lu Xun’s classic stories.

In Beijing, many organizations held various activities to commemorate the works and spirit of the great writer.

When Lu was still alive, he stood out like a lighthouse providing a guiding light for perplexed Chinese youths who cared about their country’s future. (Xinhua)