Born in 1960 in the province of Zhejiang, YU Hua worked as a dentist for five years before becoming a full time writer. He grew up during the Cultural Revolution, and many of his stories are marked by this peculiar period of Chinese history. The world he describes is disturbing, threatening, and even morbid. He wrote many essays, but YU Hua is mainly renowned for his novels, in particular Chronicle of a Blood Merchant, Brothers and To Live. This one was adapted to film in 1994 by ZHANG Yimou and has been banned in China. To Live immediately became a best-seller, and YU Hua a celebrity.

Source: http://www.europalia.eu

Editor: Wen Yi