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Mao Dun is the pen name of celebrated 20th Century Chinese essayist and novelist Shen Dehong. He was also named Yanbing - another name taken at the age of 20 in the Chinese tradition.

He was born on July 4, 1896 in his family residence at Wuzhen, in Zhejiang's Jiaxing city where he spent his boyhood.

In his earlier years, Mao actively participated in the revolution and the New Culture Movement (1915-1923).

From 1934 to 1937, Mao Dun came back to Wuzhen several times to write.

Many of his novels drew on the background of his hometown. 

A total number of over 120 million words – including the works Midnight and The Shop of the Lin Family – comprise the great writer's collected works.

Wax figure of Mao Dun [Photo/VCG]