A painter and writer, Mu Xin (1927-2011) received his artistic education in cosmopolitan Shanghai. During the Chinese Civil War, he fled to Taiwan; at the war's conclusion, he returned to the mainland. Having survived persecution at home, for two decades he lived in New York, and resettled in his hometown, Wuzhen, at the end of his life.


In old age, a reclusive Mu Xin enjoyed literary renown in the Sinophone sphere. Of his oeuvre, he was most content with his poetry. Toward Bravery, selected and translated by Mingyuan Hu, is the first collection of Mu Xin's poetry to appear in English. Published in 2017, it is reissued in 2022 in a bilingual format.

Translated by: Mingyuan Hu