The Historical Context of Love and Marriage in Early 20th Century China

In the turbulent early 20th century, China was undergoing seismic shifts—politically, socially, and culturally. Traditional Confucian values clashed with modern ideals, and nowhere was this tension more evident than in the realm of marriage and personal relationships. The story of Lu Xun, China’s most celebrated literary figure, and the two women in his life—Zhu An and Xu Guangping—epitomizes this struggle between duty and personal fulfillment.

Marriages in late Qing and early Republican China were often arranged, with little regard for personal affection. Women like Zhu An, raised in conservative households, were expected to embody the virtues of obedience and domesticity. Meanwhile, the New Culture Movement (1915–1925) championed individualism, gender equality, and free love, ideals that resonated with intellectuals like Lu Xun and his eventual partner, Xu Guangping.

The Arranged Marriage: Lu Xun and Zhu An

In 1906, Lu Xun, then a student in Japan, received an urgent letter from his mother claiming she was gravely ill. Rushing home, he discovered the truth: she had arranged his marriage to Zhu An, a woman from a respectable but traditional family. Despite his progressive views, Lu Xun complied, later explaining to friends that he saw the marriage as a filial obligation rather than a romantic union.

Zhu An, illiterate and bound by tradition, became a silent fixture in Lu Xun’s life. For two decades, they lived as strangers under the same roof, with Lu Xun dedicating himself to writing and activism while Zhu An cared for his mother. Their relationship was, in his words, “a gift from my mother”—one he accepted but could not embrace emotionally.

The Turning Point: Lu Xun and Xu Guangping

The dynamic shifted dramatically in 1923 when Lu Xun began teaching at Beijing Women’s Normal University. Among his students was Xu Guangping, a fiery and independent woman from a prominent family. Unlike Zhu An, Xu was educated, politically engaged, and unafraid to challenge authority—qualities that drew Lu Xun to her.

Their relationship evolved through letters, later compiled as Letters Between Two. By 1925, their bond had deepened beyond mentorship. In a pivotal moment, Xu Guangping took Lu Xun’s hand, and he reciprocated with a gentle squeeze, marking the beginning of their romantic partnership.

Despite societal taboos, they moved to Shanghai in 1927. Though they lived together, Lu Xun maintained a facade of propriety, referring to Xu as his “editorial assistant” to avoid scandal. Yet their love was an open secret among friends and colleagues.

The Silent Sufferer: Zhu An’s Lonely Existence

While Lu Xun and Xu Guangping built a life together, Zhu An remained in Beijing, a ghost in her own marriage. In a poignant conversation, she likened herself to a snail slowly climbing a wall, hoping her devotion might one day win Lu Xun’s affection. The birth of Lu Xun and Xu’s son, Zhou Haiying, shattered even this fragile hope.

Yet Zhu An’s resilience was remarkable. She eventually accepted Haiying as a surrogate son, writing him affectionate letters and expressing pride in his achievements. Her tragic plea—”Am I not also part of Mr. Lu Xun’s legacy?”—revealed her longing for recognition in the shadow of her husband’s fame.

The Aftermath: Legacy and Modern Reflections

Lu Xun’s death in 1936 left both women to navigate his legacy. Xu Guangping dedicated herself to preserving his works, even enduring imprisonment by Japanese forces during WWII. Meanwhile, Zhu An lived in poverty, relying on Xu’s financial support—a gesture that underscored the strange kinship between the two women.

Xu Guangping’s decision to acknowledge Zhu An in official records was a rare act of grace in an era that often erased inconvenient histories. As scholar Zeng Zhizhong noted, she was the first to give Zhu An a name in literary history.

Their story remains a mirror for contemporary discussions about love, duty, and the compromises women make in patriarchal societies. Lu Xun’s life, caught between tradition and modernity, reminds us that even the greatest thinkers are shaped by the personal battles they fight—and the hearts they inevitably leave behind.

Conclusion: Love’s Unresolved Paradoxes

The lives of Lu Xun, Zhu An, and Xu Guangping reflect the painful transitions of their era. Zhu An embodied the silent sacrifices of countless women bound by tradition, while Xu Guangping represented the new possibilities of love and intellectual partnership. Lu Xun, torn between the two, became a symbol of China’s broader struggle to reconcile its past with its future.

Their story is not just a historical footnote but a timeless exploration of the human heart—its capacity for endurance, its yearning for connection, and its often-unfulfilled search for a place to belong.