Mao Dun published both of these short stories, "The Shop of the Lin Family" and "Spring Silkworms, " in 1932. The first tells the story of a shop selling foreign goods in a small town in China, which Zhu Ziqing considers the best work written by Mao Dun. The second is about a silk weaver, Old Tong Bao, who takes very good care of his silkworms, until the armed conflicts caused by the Japanese in Shanghai in 1932 ruined his business. The stories are available here for the first time in traditional Chinese characters.
Dun Mao Books
Mao Dun, whose given name was Shen Dehong, stands as a preeminent left-wing realist novelist of modern China, celebrated for his incisive portrayals of societal shifts and tensions. His literary work is characterized by a sharp, realistic lens focused on the complexities of urban and rural life, often exploring the friction between tradition and modernity. Through his narratives, he delved into the profound social and political contradictions of his era, offering a critical examination of China's evolving landscape. His writing serves as a significant commentary on the nation's turbulent transformations.






