The Life of Mr. Mo Xuyou

In the early 1930s, Fei Ming spent each year living in the Western Hills and writing. There he completed Mr. Mo Xuyou’s Biography, a novel based on his experiences in 1927. It was first serialized in the magazine Camel Grass, then published as a standalone volume by Shanghai’s Kaiming Bookstore in December 1932. Mr. Mo Xuyou’s Biography is one of Fei Ming’s representative works. Many people find it difficult to understand, but the book itself is not actually hard to follow. Rather, what many readers lack is the calm, refined state of mind that Fei Ming poured into its pages. The author wrote in the preface: “If so, then its difficulty is precisely one of its charms. Might readers take the time to ponder it carefully? When, after pondering, they finally understand something, life in this world will surely seem worthwhile.” Readers who savor it closely will surely discover its unique appeal.