Lu Xun and Yi Yuksa: A 93-Year Connection Rekindled Through Their Descendants

The connection between Lu Xun, a master of modern Chinese literature, and Yi Yuksa, a Korean independence activist and poet, is being renewed after 93 years through a meeting of their descendants.

According to Andong Yi Yuksa Literary Museum, Zhou Lingfei, the eldest grandson of Lu Xun (1881-1936) and chairman of the Lu Xun Foundation, has officially invited Yi Okbi, the daughter of Yi Yuksa (1904-1944), to the Lu Xun Memorial Hall in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China, this coming May. This invitation is part of the commemorative events being held in Shaoxing, Lu Xun’s hometown, to mark the 90th anniversary of his passing.

Yi Yuksa

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The invitation letter will be delivered in person at 2 p.m. on March 11 by Noh Hyunggu, advisor to Neorigin Co., Ltd. and president of the Korea Alumni Association at Zhejiang University, during his visit to the Andong Yi Yuksa Literary Museum.

Lu Xun is regarded as a literary figure who laid the foundation for modern Chinese literature through works such as "The True Story of Ah Q" and "Diary of a Madman." Yi Yuksa is widely known for poems like "The Wilderness" and "Green Grapes," and as an anti-Japanese independence activist, he holds an important place in the history of Korean modern literature and the independence movement.

The relationship between these two literary figures began in June 1933 in Shanghai, China. At that time, Yi Yuksa had just completed military training at the Nanjing Korean Revolutionary Military and Political Cadre School and was preparing to return home. He met Lu Xun for the first and only time at the funeral of Yang Xingpo, a revolutionary and scientist, and they exchanged words.

After Lu Xun’s death in 1936, Yi Yuksa published a series of memorial essays titled "Tribute to Lu Xun" in the Chosun Ilbo, introducing his life and literary spirit to Korean society. He reflected on Lu Xun as "a senior writer who treated me kindly and warmly like an old friend," expressing deep respect and mourning.

Luxun to Meet Descendant of Yi Yuksa After 93 Years

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In his invitation, Zhou Lingfei wrote, "Lu Xun and Yi Yuksa shared a deep friendship, and I recently learned that Yi Yuksa introduced Lu Xun’s ideas and works to Korean society through his 'Tribute to Lu Xun.' As a descendant, I would like to express my gratitude." He added, "To honor the 90th anniversary of Lu Xun’s passing, we are holding a commemorative event in his hometown of Shaoxing to celebrate his spirit and literary legacy," and requested Yi Okbi’s attendance.

With this meeting, the Andong Yi Yuksa Literary Museum and the Lu Xun Memorial Hall plan to expand mutual exchange and cooperation, and to promote joint academic conferences and exhibitions, further advancing cultural exchange between Korea and China.

Invitation Letter Drafting Scene

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The friendship left behind by these two literary figures who lived in the same era is being rekindled across borders and time. This encounter between their descendants, taking place 93 years after their meeting in Shanghai in 1933, is viewed as a symbolic moment for literary exchange between Korea and China, going beyond a simple commemorative event. The memories and solidarity created by literature are now continuing as cultural diplomacy, making this moment all the more meaningful.

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