Dual Play, Ethical Reconstruction, and “Utopia”: On the Artistic Construction of Lu Min’s Stories

The majority of Lu Min's more than twenty years of writing experience were devoted to short stories and novellas, earning her many prestigious awards in the field of Chinese literature today. Her Dongba series and urban-themed stories have been reprinted in numerous Chinese digest magazines owing to their broad popularity. As a writer with a strong personal touch, close attention to the bottom of society, and a vivid imagination, it is testing to place Lu Min's stories in any literary definition. By bringing the viewfinder in and reading the text closely, we can discover three leading characteristics of Lu Min's works: the dual narrative mode, the intricacy of ethical reconstruction, and the Utopian core. Throughout her long creative career, Lu Min has moved from her own experiences to broader, more complex subjects, constantly engaging in a bold yet serene narrative exploration. The inflated and suppressed spiritual undercurrents of everyday characters appear in her writings in intricate and colorful patterns, which have been mirrors of the true diversity of the Chinese people today.