Originally banned in China but later recognized as one of the country's most influential books, this poignant novel describes the transformation of a man from the pampered son of a landowner to a kind-hearted farmer.

“A work of astonishing emotional power.” —Dai Sijie, author of Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

From the author of Brothers and China in Ten Words, this acclaimed contemporary masterpiece of Chinese literature was also adapted into a film by Zhang Yimou. After the young, deeply remorseful Fugui squanders his family's fortune in gambling houses and brothels, he begins an honest life as a farmer. Forced by the nationalist army to leave his family behind, he witnesses the horrors and deprivations of the civil war, only to return years later and face a series of hardships caused by the devastations of the Cultural Revolution. Accompanied by an ox in his later years, Fugui stands as a model of grim authenticity, strengthened by his appreciation for life in this narrative of humbling power.

Yu Hua is the author of five novels, six collections of short stories, and four essay collections. He has also written opinion pieces. His works have been translated into more than forty languages, and he has received numerous awards.