Lu Xun (1881-1936) was arguably the greatest writer of twentieth-century China. While most well known for his two slim volumes of short fiction, he was a prolific and inventive essayist. Jottings under Lamplight showcases Lu Xun's versatility as a master of prose forms and his brilliance as a cultural critic with translations of sixty-two of his essays, from the well known to the obscure, some translated for the first time. Organized by theme, the volume provides a context for readers--both those familiar with and those new to Lu Xun--to make meaningful connections among the diverse ideas generated from one of China's most brilliant minds. The first part of the book, "Self-Reflections," includes important autobiographical essays that shed light on the formative experiences shaping Lu Xun's worldview and literary sensibilities. The second part, "Reflections on Culture," contains his thoughts on the major cultural transformations of the day. The volume as a whole reveals the mind of an ingenious writer who chronicled his own life and the events of his time with a keen eye; the essays provide penetrating insights into a culture and society, relayed at times with notes of despair, yet also pathos, humor, and an unparalleled caustic wit.--