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Dano, Jhonmark
Dano, Rose Marie Geraldine G.

MASTERPIECES OF WORLD LITERATURE

CHINESE LITERATURE
 China is officially known as the people’s republic of China.
 China has the largest population in the world with about, 1.3 billion people as
on July 2012. One in five people in the world is Chinese.

 Chinese literature, the body of works written in Chinese, including lyric poetry,
historical and didactic writing, drama, and various forms of fiction.
 Chinese literature is one of the major literary heritages of the world, with an
uninterrupted history of more than 3,000 years, dating back at least to the 14th
century BCE.

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is an ancient series of walls and fortifications, totaling
more than 13,000 miles in length, located in northern China. Perhaps the most
recognizable symbol of China and its long and vivid history, the Great Wall was
originally conceived by Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the third century B.C. as a means of
preventing incursions from barbarian nomads. The best-known and best-preserved
section of the Great Wall was built in the 14th through 17th centuries A.D., during the
Ming dynasty. Though the Great Wall never effectively prevented invaders from entering
China, it came to function as a powerful symbol of Chinese civilization’s enduring
strength.

History of Chinese literature

 Shang dynasty (about 1700-1050 BC) – Development of Chinese Writing

The first dynasty for which there is historical record and archaeological evidence
is the Shang Dynasty. It was a small empire in northern central China. No
documents from that country survive, but there are archaeological finds of
hieroglyphic writing on bronze wares and oracle bones. The hieroglyphic writing
system later evolved into ideographic and partly-phonetic Chinese characters.
 Zhou Dynasty (1045-255 BC) – Basic Philosophical and Religious Literature

The Zhou Dynasty was contemporaneous with the Shang Dynasty, and then they
conquered the Shang Dynasty. Their dynasty lasted for about 800 years, but for
most of the time, their original territory was broken up into dozens of competing
kingdoms, and these finally coalesced into several big and warring kingdoms by
the end of the Zhou era.
 Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC)- Literary Disaster and Legalism

At the end of the Zhou dynasty era that is called the Warring States Period, of the
surviving few big states in the land, the Qin Dynasty became the most powerful.

An early form of Buddhism was also established in China at that time, but their
temples and literature were destroyed and even less is known about them.
 Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 AD) Scientific and Historical text
The Han dynasty was known as a golden age in Chinese history, with a
prolonged period of stability and prosperity. A central imperial civil service was
established to create a strong and organised government.
China’s territory was extended to most of the China proper. The Silk Road was
opened up to connect to the west, bringing in trade, foreign cultures and the
introduction of Buddhism.
Under the Han dynasty, Confucianism, poetry and literature flowered. Paper and
porcelain were invented. China’s earliest written record on medicine, the Yellow
Emperor’s Canon of Medicine, was codified.
The name ‘Han’ was taken as the name of the Chinese people. Today, the Han
Chinese make up the dominant ethnic group in China and the largest in the
world.

 Sui Dynasty (581-618)

The Sui dynasty, although brief, saw great changes in Chinese history. Its capital
was held at Daxing, present-day Xi’an.
Confucianism disintegrated as the dominant religion, making way for Taoism and
Buddhism. Literature flourished – it is thought that the legend of Hua Mulan was
composed during this time.
Under Emperor Wen and his son, Yang, the army was enlarged to the largest in
the world at the time. Coinage was standardised across the realm, the Great Wall
was expanded and the Grand Canal was completed.

 Tang Dynasty (618-907) — Early Woodblock Printing and Poetry the Tang
Dynasty had a big empire that benefited from trade with the west along the
Silk Road, battled with the Tibetan Empire, and experienced the growing
influence of organized Buddhist religions. This era’s main contribution to Chinese
literature was in the poetry of Dufu, Li Bai and many other poets. Dufu and Li
Bai are often thought of as China’s greatest poets.

 Li Bai (701–762) was one of the greatest romantic poets of ancient

China. He wrote at least a thousand poems on a variety of subjects from
political matters to natural scenery.

 Du Fu (712-770 AD) also wrote more than a thousand poems. He is

thought of as one of the greatest realist poets of China. His poems
reflect the hard realities of war, dying people living next to rich rulers, and
primitive rural life. He was an official in the Tang capital of Chang An, and
he was captured when the capital was attacked. He took refuge in
Chengdu that is a city in Sichuan Province. It is thought that he lived in a
simple hut where he wrote many of his best realist poems. Perhaps more
 than 1,400 of his poems survive, and his poetry is still read and
appreciated by modern Chinese people.
 Song Dynasty (960-1279) — Early Woodblock Printing, Travel Literature,
Poetry, Scientific Texts and the Neo-Confucian Classics

It was weaker than the Tang Dynasty, but the imperial government officials made
remarkable scientific and technical advances.

Military technology greatly advanced. They traded little with the west due to the
presence of warring Muslim states on the old trade routes. There wasn’t territorial
expansion, but the empire was continuously attacked by nomadic tribes and
countries around them. Their northern territory was invaded, and they were
forced to move their capital to southern China. So, the era is divided into two
eras called the Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) eras.
One of the era’s technological accomplishments was the invention of movable
type about the turn of 2nd millennia during the Northern Song period. This helped
to spread knowledge since printed material could be published more quickly
and cheaply.
 Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) — Drama and Great Fictional Novels

The Mongols were nomadic people who herded cattle north of the Tang Empire
and wandered over a large area fighting on horseback. They believed that they
might be able to conquer the world. They easily conquered Persia far to the west.

It was a big empire with high technology, a big population and a big army.
Then they decided to try to conquer all the countries around them.

They attacked the Tang Dynasty, the Dali Kingdom in Yunnan, and much of Asia,
and they formed the biggest empire in the history of the earth until then. They
conquered Russia, a part of eastern Europe and a part of the Middle East.
In China, the Mongols established the very rich Yuan Dynasty. In their camps,
the Mongols were entertained by shadow puppet plays in which a lamp cast the
shadows of little figurines and puppets on a screen or sheet. In the Yuan
Dynasty, puppet drama continued to entertain the rich dynastic courts in
vernacular language.

Yuan Dynasty, the operatic style developed into the Painted Faces style of
Chinese opera that was popular until modern times.
 Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) — Novels

The Chinese rebelled against the Mongols, and the Ming Dynasty era began
about 1368. The Mongols and the Ming government still sometimes fought.
Because of this and the presence of Muslim countries in between, trade with the
west was reduced to the pre-Yuan level.

The Ming initially we’re interested in exploration, and Muslims whose ancestors
arrived during the Yuan Dynasty and who were familiar with seagoing trade were
employed to make long voyages to the Indian Ocean, the Middle East and
perhaps Africa. Then they became isolationist.
 It is interesting that a book that is one of the four great classics called Journey to
the West about a monk going to India was written during this time of isolation.
Maybe the thought of travel to the lands in the west was appealing then. Novels
were the era’s main contribution.
 Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) — Novels and Pre-modern Literature
The Qing Dynasty came under increasing attack from both internal rebellions and
foreign countries. In the 19th century, foreign literature and the West became
better known. In the middle of this era, the last of China’s four great classic
novels was written called Dream of the Red Chamber and near the end of the
era, modernistic literature developed.

 Modern Era (1912-present) — Westernized Literature

Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen

Sun Yat-sen led a revolution that marked the end of Chinese dynasties in which
a clan rules an empire. Of course, the big change of Chinese society that
happened with the change of government led to a change in literature.
It became westernized, and the Classical Language wasn’t used. The national
government wanted women to have more of an equal status in society, and
women writers and scholars were taken more seriously. There was a lot of
politically oriented literature printed. Scholars had access to foreign literature,
and many students studied abroad.

CHINESE CULTURES AND TRADITIONS

Cultures
Table manners
Table manners are an important component of Chinese culture, which are usually
expressed through inviting guests, seating, eating, using chopsticks, and use of teapots.
Inviting guests
When the guest enters the room, the hosts stand until the guest sits down. Dishes are
usually ordered by the host while guests are expected to keep silent. Before dining, a
toast initiated by the host is usually made, when guests express their thanks for the
invitation. When the dishes arrive, the host will invite the guest(s) of honor to taste first.
Seating
In China, a round table is commonly used for eating. On this occasion, the seat facing
the entrance is the seat of honor, which should be reserved for the people with the
highest status. The seats on the left-hand-side of the seat-of-honor are in descending
order of importance.

Eating
 Food is mostly served by chopsticks and the hand is seldom used with some
exceptions. While eating and drinking soup, no noise should be made. While
dining, the host should take care of all his guests are able to enjoy the dishes.
 While someone is picking up food from dishes with chopsticks, the Lazy Susan
(or rotating table) should never be turned.
Chopsticks
 Chopstick are mostly used in Chinese dining, and certain protocols govern their
use. Chopsticks are not used to toy with one’s food or with dishes in common
and they should be placed neatly to the side after used. It is impolite to point at
someone with chopsticks.
 Never dig for food in the common dishes with your chopsticks. Obviously, you
should never bang your chopsticks as though you were playing the drums.
Teapot
 Given the long history of tea drinking in China, use of the teapot also has its own
etiquette. The teapot should never be placed pointing someone directly at
someone, which is considered quite impolite. If you are getting tea for yourself,
make sure to ask others whether they need tea or not first and serve others
before serving yourself
Chinese Tea
 When speaking about Chinese culture, tea drinking needs to be mentioned.
Chinese tea culture is the ancient tradition of making and consuming tea, which
differs from such traditions in Europe and Japan.
 China is home to many different kinds of tea, including Green tea, Oolong tea,
Black Tea, scented tea, white tea and yellow tea, each of which has its own
distinct color, scent, and taste.
 In China, drinking tea is usually referred as tasting tea, which not only refers to
discerning the quality of the tea, but the tradition also has to do with engaging in
reflective thought and interacting socially while drinking tea.
 A short respite from the business of life, make a cup of tea and taste it in a
tranquil place on your own can be not only invigoration but also refreshes the
soul. Generally, the Chinese look to drink tea somewhere tranquil atmosphere
where crisp fresh air is available.
 Gardens in China are world famous, where breathtaking scenery and a peaceful
ambiance is available. Drinking tea in such gardens never fails to be a fantastic
experience and is common among the Chinese.
Food
Like other aspects of Chinese life, cuisine is heavily influenced by geography and ethnic
diversity. Among the main styles of Chinese cooking are Cantonese, which features stir-
fried dishes, and Szechuan, which relies heavily on use of peanuts, sesame paste and
ginger and is known for its spiciness.

Traditions
Chinese Clothing
As a vital part of Chinese civilization, traditional clothing plays an important role in the country's
history and culture. Their basic features are cross-collar, wrapping the right lapel over the left,
tying with sash and a form of blouse plus skirt or long gown.
1. Traditional Han Chinese Clothing (Han Fu): It refers to the attire worn by the Han people
from the enthronement of the Yellow Emperor (about 2698 BC) till the late Ming Dynasty (1368 -
1644 AD). It became known as the Han Fu (“fu” means “clothes” in Chinese) because the
fashion was improved and popularized during the Han Dynasty. It is usually in the form of long
gown, cross collar, wrapping the right lapel over the left, loose wide sleeves and no buttons but
a sash. Although simple in design, it gives different feelings to different wearers.
2. Chinese Suit (Tang Zhuang): It is a combination of the Manchu male jacket of the Qing
Dynasty and the western style suit. It is usually straight collared, with coiled buttons down the
front. Its color and design are in traditional Chinese style but tailoring is western.
3. Cheongsam (Qi Pao): Originated from the Manchu female clothes, it evolved by merging with
western patterns that show off the beauty of a female body. Its features are straight collar, strain
on the waist, coiled buttons and slits on both sides of the dress. Materials used are usually silk,
cotton and linen. Cheongsam is the most popular Chinese attire in the world today.
Beijing cheongsam style is more traditional and conservative than Shanghai's and Hong
Kong's. The colors of Beijing-style qipaos are much brighter and their decoration is more
complicated than other styles'.
Shanghai-style cheongsams are more commercial and forward-looking. More Western
elements are used in the designs and colors of Shanghai-style cheongsams.
Hong-kong-style cheongsams were influenced greatly by European fashions. The sleeves of
Hong-Kong-style cheongsams are shorter than the Beijing and Shanghai styles'. The
decorations are simpler too.
4. Chinese Tunic Suit (Zhongshan Suit): Also called the Yat-sen Suit, it is designed by Dr. Sun
Yat-sen by combining the western-style suit and Chinese attire. It has a turn-down collar and
four pockets with flaps. As Chairman Mao Zedong worn it quite frequently, it is also called the
Mao Suit by westerners. It is the main attire from the founding of the People’s Republic of China
in 1949 till 1980’s. The country’s leaders still wear it today when attending important occasions,
such as military parades.

Culture and traditions of Chinese in wedding

Red is the color of wedding in China because they believe it signifies love, joy, and
prosperity to seclusion.Seclusion means away from other people.The wedding day is
carefully chosen to astrological signs.

Chinese Traditional Events and Festivals

Chinese Kung Fu
 Chinese Kung Fu, also known as Wushu, is a traditional sport originated in
ancient China, which is a remarkable combination of exercise, practical self-
defense, and discipline which has become one of the more well-known parts of
Chinese culture.
 Chinese Kung Fu features dynamic and fluid motions. It is usually practiced with
bare hands, while sometimes participants make use of some simple weapons
like the cudgel.
 During the Ming and Qing dynasties, many sects of Chinese Kung Fu were created
and thrived; probably the best known are Taichi, Xingyi Quan and Baguan Quan.
Since the foundation of People’s Republic of China in 1949, Chinese Kung Fu has
experienced a flourishing in popularity across the globe.
Shaolin Kung Fu
  Shaolin Kung Fu (or Shaolin wushu) is one of the oldest and most widely-
recognized forms of Chinese Kung Fu, combining Zen Buddhism with Kung Fu
martial arts. Shaolin Kung Fu originated in Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng city in
Hepan province, where loft peaks, verdant trees, crisp fresh air, and the tranquil
atmosphere made for a perfect place to practice Kung Fu without distraction.
Tai Chi
 Tai Chi, another style of Chinese martial arts, is widely known for its long history
and inasmuch as it can contribute to a longer life, which has become a popular
fitness activity outside of China. During a visit to China, you may see many
people, particularly the old, are practicing Taichi in open areas in the morning.
Beijing Opera
 With a history of more than 200 years, Beijing opera, the essence of Chinese
culture, is an intricate combination of music, vocal performance, mime, dance,
and acrobatics, which is lauded by foreign visitors and local Chinese. Beijing
opera originated in Beijing around 1840 during the Qing Dynasty and came into
its heyday in 1930, when its popularity caught on throughout Hebei Province,
including nearby Tianjin.
 Now, Beijing opera has become one of the largest influential opera forms in the
world. Characterized by its rich characters, sophisticated performances, and
overwhelming momentum, Beijing opera has become representative of Chinese
opera as a whole.
The Roots of Beijing Opera
 Beijing opera is derived from four local operas, Hui opera in Anhui, Han opera in
Hubei, Kun opera in Jiangsu, and Qinqiang opera in Shaanxi, which drawn from
the merits of these local operas and created in its own style. Beijing opera is of
the Banqing style, which applies gongs, drums, erhu (“Chinese violin”) or other
types of stringed huqin and yueqin (“moon guitar”) to accompany.
 Speech, song, dance, and combat are the four classic performing arts in Beijing
opera, which are the basic skills required for performers who are typically
instructed in such since their youth. There are many roles in Beijing opera,
mainly Sheng, Dan, Jing, and Chou, each of which has its own related costumes
and mask-paintings. Masks with different colors have different meaning, which is
used to portray the character of the roles and illustrate their emotional state.

Chinese Festivals
With a rich history of more than 5,000 years, China enjoys many traditional festivals that
you may encounter on a trip to China such as the Spring Festival, Lantern Festival,
Tomb-Sweeping Day (Qingming Festival) to the Dragon Festival and Mid-autumn Day,
each with its own significance and features. After learning about them, you will have a
more well-rounded appreciation for Chinese culture.
Spring Festival
 The Spring Festival is one of the most important festivals in China, which is from
the first to the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar. In some
respects, the Spring Festival is to China, what Christmas to America. About one
month ahead of the Spring Festival, people will begin preparations for it,
including cleaning house, shopping and cooking food in anticipation. When
 celebrating the festival, people will hang red lanterns on doors, and set off
firecrackers.
 Another important part of the Spring Festival is family reunions as people who
live far away from home will return home to be with their families. At dinner, the
young offer their best wishes and toast to their elder’s health and happiness.
 On the first day of the festival, children will dress in their new clothes and pay a
new year’s visit to their relatives, then they will give them new year’s money. In
the following days, people will visit relatives and friends, and express their good
wishes to the next year to each other. The last day, on the 15th day of the festival
is the Lantern Festival.
Since Spring Festival is a traditional Chinese festival, there are still some taboos about
it. During Spring Festival, unlucky behaviors and words should be avoided because it is
believed bad things may happen if certain words are spoken. Such words as “bad,”
“dead,” “kill,” “ache,” and the like are not welcome. Moreover, water should not be
sprinkled out of the house, which may bring bad luck to the new year. Also when
holding fragile articles like plates, cups, and glasses, one should be particularly careful
and never break them. What’s more, neither sweeping the floor nor cutting hair is
welcome during the spring festival. In addition, different regions of China have their own
taboos on the Spring Festival.

Mid-autumn Day
 Mid-autumn day, anther traditional festival in China, is celebrated on August 15th
in the lunar calendar every year. On the mid-autumn day, the full moon will
appear, which symbolizes reunion in Chinese cultures, so the mid-autumn day is
also called Reunion Festival. Since mid-autumn day is an important festival in
China, there are some traditional customs for this festival.
Moon Worship
 Moon worship is a quite time-honored tradition in China, which could be traced
back to the Zhou dynasty in ancient Chinese history. This tradition has been
passed down from generation to generation. In modern times, people usually
display moon cakes as well as other fruits on the table in the yard. After the
moon has “eaten” the moon cakes, they will return to the table and eat the moon
cakes with family members to pray for health and happiness.
 The delicately-shaped moon cake is a must-have for the Mid-autumn Day, which
is made of flour filled with various kinds of fillings like nuts, eggs, beans, and
fruits. Since full the moon symbolizes family reunion in Chinese reunion, moon
cakes are usually round-shaped. That is why eating moon cakes on the mid-
autumn day often makes some Chinese feel homesick.

Lantern Festival
Lantern Festival is another important festival in China, which is celebrated on the
15th of the first month in the lunar calendar every year. The Lantern Festival marks the
end of the Spring Festival. The Lantern Festival of 2019 falls on Tuesday February 19th.
There are some traditional customs and activities for Lantern Festival, as well.
Watching Lanterns
During the Lantern Festival, splendid lanterns shows are displayed and lanterns
of different shapes can be seen everywhere, attracting no small amount of visitors.
Accompanying lanterns, various fireworks are lit, which explode into different shapes in
the night sky.
Guessing Riddles
Guessing lantern riddles is another important part of the Lantern Festival. Each
lantern contains a riddle which people will guess. If someone has an answer to a riddle,
he can pull the paper from the lantern and ask the organizers to verify the answer. If the
answer is right, then little gifts would be awarded. Since this intellectual activity is very
exciting and interesting, guessing riddles during the lantern festival is quite popular
among many people, old and young, men and women.
Folk Dances
Another common activity during the festival is the exciting folk dances, such as
Lion Dance and Walking on the Stilts. In the Lion Dance, two dancers are dressed as a
large lion, one as the lion’s head, the other as the loin’s tail. The dancers perform
coordinated and rhythmic steps and timed to the music of loud gongs and drums.
Sometimes it jumps, sometimes it roars. Another representative folk dance during
the Lantern Festival is walking on the stilts. The performers’ feet are bent onto the stilts
and they walk on stilts. Dressed up gorgeously, the performers impersonate different
animals, monks, clowns, fishermen and others.
Eating Yuan Xiao
As for food, people usually eat ball-shaped sweet dumplings in this festival, also
called Yuan xiao in Chinese, which is made of glutinous rice flour with different fillings.
Hence, the Lantern Festival is also called Yuan xiao Festival.
Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival, another traditional festival in China, falls on the May 5th
in the lunar calendar every year, which is celebrated to commemorate an ancient
patriotic poet named Qu Yuan. Customs pertaining to this festival are:
Eating Rice Dumpling (Zong zi)
On the Dragon Boat Festival, people will eat triangle-shaped rice dumplings, “zong
zi” in Chinese, which is made of rice filled with different fillings like dates, nuts, and
beans. Many families made rice dumplings at home by themselves. After the rice
dumplings are prepared, people will wrap the rice with reed leaves into triangle-shape
and then boil it.
Dragon Boat Racing
Another important activity during this festival is holding Dragon Boat races in
honor of the great poem Qu Yuan. In a dragon boat race, a competition is held between
the teams. The one who reach the final destination first is the winner. It was said that
the winning team would bring a bountiful harvest and happiness to the people of their
village. Typically, a team member stands in front of the boat and beats the drum to
keep the pace for the other team members.
Making Fragrant Handicrafts for Children
Additionally, people will hang a special wormwood named Ai on the front door to
drive out evil spirits. Moreover, women will make handicrafts with different ships and fill
them with special fragrant ingredients. When finished, they will hang the delicate
handicraft on the children’s’ necks to pray for their health and happiness.
Chinese Valentines’ Day
The Chinese Valentines’ Day, also known as Double Seventh Festival, is another
traditional festival in China, which is celebrated on July 7th in the lunar calendar every
year and is particularly popular among young people.

On Chinese Valentine’s Day, people in love usually go to the Matchmaker’s

Temple to pray for their love and for the possibility of marriage. Those still single will do
the same thing, to ask for good luck of love in the Matchmaker’s temple. On this
romantic night, girls usually set tables with fruits displayed to pray for intelligence and
love.
Tomb-Sweeping Day
Tomb-sweeping Day, also known as Pure Brightness Day, is one of the most
important traditional festivals in China, which usually falls onto 4th, 5th or 6th of April.
On tomb-sweeping day, people will visit their ancestors’ graves and mourn for the dead,
burn incense, offer food and paper coins. They will also clean the grave area, including
removing weeds growing around the tomb and removing dust. After that, some flowers
are also presented.
During the days around Qingming, everything is recovered and refreshed, so
many outdoor activities like traveling around, flying kites and planting trees are taken up
by many people.

Languages:
 Mandarin is the official language. In the many provinces where Mandarin is not
spoken, people may speak one of four major dialects—Cantonese,
Shanghainese, Fukienese or Hakka.
 There is only one official written language and many of the characters have
evolved from ancient pictographs.
Values
 The traditional cultural values that influence the psyche of the Chinese people
are harmony, benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, honesty, loyalty,
and filial piety.
Beliefs
 China is a country of great religious diversity and freedom of religious belief.

 In China, all regular religious activities - such as worshipping Buddha, chanting

scriptures, praying, expounding on scriptures, holding Mass, baptism, initiation
into monk- or nun-hood, Ramadan and observance of religious festivals - are all
managed by the religious personnel and adherents themselves, are protected
under the law and are free from interference.
 China consist of many different religions, primarily being Buddhism, Isla,
Christianity and Taoism. Taoism became it's own during the second century,
after Lao Zi's philosophy and his work, the Dao De Jing or " Classis Way of
Virtue". Buddhism according to this article, was introduced by India in the first
century A. D., and became super popular in the fourth century. Islam was
 A MADMAN’S DIARY
I. Introduction
What is a Madman’s Diary?
“Diary of a Madman” commonly known as “A Madman’s Diary”, is a short satirical
short story written by Lu Xun. It was published in 1918, and it was inspired by the
Confucianism-based culture of China. Lu Xun’s story is a political commentary that
criticizes the government and culture of China in the early 1900s, and he calls for a
more humanistic and individualistic society.
Modeled on the Russian realist Nikolay Gogol’s tale of the same title, the story is a
condemnation of traditional Confucian culture, which the madman narrator sees as a
“man-eating” society. The first published Western-style story written wholly in vernacular
Chinese, it was a tour de force that attracted immediate attention and helped gain
acceptance for the short-story form as an effective literary vehicle.

II. Summary of the Story

A. Characters
The madman
The madman is a Chinese man who has an illness that makes him paranoid. He
keeps a journal of his mad ravings. These are turned into a book after he is better.
During his illness he realizes that his eyes have been opened, and he can see
clearly for the first time in his life. He notices the cold stares he is given by his
friends, neighbors, and even the children. He has a hard time understanding why
everyone seems to be angry at him. He is especially puzzled by the children's anger.
He realizes that they must have learned their behavior from their parents. After
hearing about a man who was killed and eaten, the madman remembers old
references to cannibalism in ancient Chinese literature and stories. He comes to the
realization that his brother and neighbors are planning to kill and eat him. He puzzles
over this, thinking that it must be a terrible existence to be a cannibal. Cannibals
would always be tempted to eat their friends, while at the same time worried that
they would be eaten. He is concerned that all people will either be eaten or eat
another. At the end he pleads with "save the children."
The madman's brother
The madman's brother cares for his ill brother. He treats his brother kindly and
makes sure the madman has the medical help he needs. The madman's brother
remains calm even when his ill brother accuses him of cannibalism. He is protective
when the neighbors stare at the madman. The madman's brother plays a paternal
role to his ill brother.
The narrator
The narrator is a dedicated friend and comes to visit the madman whom he knows
from school. The madman has already been cured of his illness, but the narrator is
able to look at the written ravings from when his friend was sick. The narrator
publishes the ravings as a tool for medical research.
Mr. Chao
Mr. Chao is a neighbor who has a dog.
Chao's dog
 Chao's dog is a dog who look at the madman the wrong way.
The children
The children are children who have been influenced by their parent's traditions.
Mr. Ho
Mr. Ho is the madman's doctor. The madman believes that Mr. Ho is the
executioner.
The madman's sister
The madman's sister is a five-year-old girl who died as a child.
The man from Wolf Cub village
The man from Wolf Cub village is the man who told of the cannibalized prisoner.
The woman
The woman is a woman that disciplines her son in front of the madman.
A young man
A young man is a man who visits the madman.

B. Setting
In China

C. Plot of the story

An Ill Friend
The narrator learns that one of his two good friends is sick. His two good friends are
brothers. He stops by his friends' house on his journey home. The healthy brother
greets him and gives him good news. He tells the narrator that the sick brother has
recovered and left home. However, during his illness, the sick brother had become a
madman. The madman kept diaries throughout his illness. The madman's brother
gives the narrator the diaries. The narrator explains that he has put the diaries
together to tell the tale of the madman for medical purposes.
Clear Vision
The rest of the narrative consists of passages from the madman's diary. In the first
entry, the madman realizes that he can see more clearly than ever before when he
sees a very bright moon in the sky. He is paranoid about his neighbor Chao's dog
whom he believes looked at him twice.
When the moon goes away, the madman knows it is a bad omen. He notices a
murderous gleam in his neighbor Mr. Chao's eyes, and he hears people whispering
about him. Even the children have the same murderous gleam in their eyes, and
they talk about him. While the madman can understand why some of his neighbors
might dislike him, he cannot understand what he did to cause the children to behave
this way. He concludes that it is something they have learned from their parents.

Eat People
The madman can no longer sleep because he is up at night going over everything
that has happened during the day. He recalls a woman disciplining her son. The
woman told her son that she wanted to take several bites out of him. While she
spoke to her son, she seemed to be looking at the madman.

Even the people in his home act as if they do not know him. They have the same
murderous gleam in their eyes, and they lock him inside. The madman remembers a
conversation he heard between his brother and a man from Wolf Cub Village. The
man from Wolf Cub Village told his brother that a prisoner had been killed and that
his liver and heart had been eaten to gain courage. The madman becomes
 convinced that he is in danger of being cooked and eaten. He pours over the ancient
texts and notices that scrawled between the lines are the words "eat people."
The Executioner
The madman's doctor Mr. Ho comes to visit the madman in his home. The madman
is sure that Mr. Ho is the executioner. When the doctor takes his pulse, the madman
is sure that it is in guise of checking to see if he is plump enough to eat. When the
doctor tells him to rest, he is sure that his neighbors and family are waiting for him to
fatten up. As the doctor goes to leave, the madman overhears him tell his brother:
"To be eaten at once!" The madman is shocked that his elder brother is plotting to
eat him.
As the madman explores his memories, he recalls his brother telling him: "People
exchange their sons to eat." He also remembers the saying that a bad man should
"have his flesh eaten and his hide slept on." He comes to the realization that his
brother is truly a people eater. He becomes convinced that his neighbors and family
are simply waiting for him to commit suicide. Then they can eat him without
committing a crime.
A Man-Eat-Man World
The madman is confined to his home. He puzzles over the life of a cannibal. He
figures cannibals must be constantly wanting to eat their fellow humans, while
always having to fear that their fellow humans will eat them. A young man visits the
madman in his home. The madman tries to talk to the visitor about cannibalism.
When the young man evades his questions, the madman realizes it is already too
late. The madman believes that the young man must have learned to be a cannibal
from his father, and he worries that the man has already taught his son to be a
cannibal. The madman attempts to reason with his brother. A group of neighbors
gathers to gawk at the madman. The madman's brother yells at the group of
onlookers to go away.

Save the Children

The madman recalls his sister. The madman's sister died when she was only five
years old. He is sure now that his brother ate her. He wonders if his brother mixed
her flesh in with their food. He worries that he might have eaten her without knowing
it. He hopes that there are still children that are not cannibals and pleads, "Save the
children."

D. Theme
Diary of a Madman" by Lu Xun is a political commentary. Lu Xun criticizes the
Confucian-based society, calling for a more humanistic culture. To make his point,
the main theme he uses is cannibalism, which he uses to comment on how people
treated each other in China at the time.

ZHOU SHUREN (LU XUN)

 Lu Xun (1881-1936) was the pen name of Zhou Shuren, an influential Chinese
writer, essayist, and translator who is commonly considered the ‘father of modern
Chinese literature.’ Known for his satirical observations of early 20th-century
Chinese society, he is celebrated as a pioneer of modern vernacular Chinese
literature and was one of the most important thinkers of his time.
 Lu Xun was born in Zhejiang province to an esteemed family. In 1893, his
grandfather was sentenced to prison for examination fraud, causing the family’s
reputation to decline. In addition, they were forced to pay regular and hefty bribes
to government officials to avoid his grandfather’s execution, leaving Lu Xun
disillusioned with the corruption of the imperial government at a young age.

 In 1902, Lu Xun went to Japan to study medicine. However, he soon left school
to devote himself to literature, with the belief that China needed to be cured of its
‘spiritual ills’ more than its physical ills. He began to write for radical magazines
aimed toward Chinese students in Japan and even attempted to start a literary
magazine of his own in 1906, although it was unsuccessful.
 He returned to China in 1909 to teach and work. In 1918, he published his first
short story, ‘Diary of a Madman.’ Modeled on Nikolai Gogol’s story of the same
name, it was a biting satire that condemned traditional Confucian values and was
published in New Youth, a journal associated with the May Fourth Movement, a
political movement that called for a new social order based on modern, anti-
traditional, and democratic values.

 Following the success of ‘Diary of a Madman,’ Lu Xun, who worked part-time as

a professor at various Beijing universities, went on to write the celebrated short
story collections A Call to Arms (1923) and Wandering (1926). His incisive
stories, which largely portrayed Chinese village life during the upheavals of the
20th century, condemned contemporary social mores and government
corruption, as well as the superstition, depravity, and greed that Lu Xun saw all
around him.

 In 1927, Lu Xun was forced to flee Beijing due to political and personal reasons,
eventually ending up in Shanghai. In the last decade of his life, he stopped
writing fiction and instead devoted his time to editing, teaching, translating
Russian works, and writing satirical essays. He wrote under various pseudonyms
because most of his work was banned from publication by the government.
 Lu Xun saw the Communist Party as the only hope for China, but never officially
joined the party. He died in 1936 of tuberculosis. After his death, the Chinese
communist movement held him up as an exemplar of Socialist Realism, and Mao
Zedong hailed him as the ‘commander of China’s cultural revolution.’ To this day,
Lu Xun’s works are widely taught and read across China.