The Modern Novel

Biography

Su Manshu (aka Reverend Mandju, Su Jian and Xuanying) was born in Yokohama in 1884. His father was a Chinese merchant and his mother Japanese. He stayed in Japan till he was six but then went to Guangdong, China, while his mother stayed in Japan. After he became seriously ill at the age of twelve, he converted to Buddhism and went to the Liurong Temple, from which he was expelled for stealing a chicken. He then went to Shanghai and then back to Yokohama.. After an unhappy love affair, he returned to Guangzhou and entered a monastery. Her remained a monk for the rest of his life but did not take to the life, so led a half-monk existence and was nicknamed the Half Monk. He worked as a teacher, painter, translator and writer and was even briefly involved in revolutionary activities. He died in 1918, allegedly from overeating.

Books about Su Manshu

Henry McAleavy: Su Man-shu (1884-1918): a Sino-Japanese Genius

Other links

Su Manshu