Mei Zhi 梅志 | |
|---|---|
 Zhi Mei in 1933 withHu Feng | |
| Born | Tu Qihua (屠玘華) (1914-06-22)22 June 1914 |
| Died | 8 October 2004(2004-10-08) (aged 90) |
| Pen name | Mei Zhi (梅志), Tu Qi (屠琪), Tu Ji (屠棘) |
| Occupation | Children's author,biographer, essayist, memoirist |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Education | Shanghai Peiming Girl's Middle School |
| Notable works | The Tale of Little Red Riding Hood's Escape (小红帽脱险记) Within High Walls (在高墙内) Pepper is Red (花椒红了) |
| Spouse | |
| Mei Zhi | |||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 梅志 | ||||||||||
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Mei Zhi (22 June 1914 – 8 October 2004) was aChinesechildren's author and essayist.
Mei Zhi was born inNanchang,Jiangxi, the eldest daughter of three children. Mei joined theLeague of Left-Wing Writers inShanghai in 1932.[1] She met another member of this group,Hu Feng, in 1933 when he returned after being deported fromJapan and the two married at the end of the year. The two lived inShanghai, where their home became a meeting place for other members of the League of Left-Wing Writers.[2] Mei published her first volume in 1934 titledShoushang zhi ye(Chinese:受伤之夜).
During theSecond Sino-Japanese War, Mei moved with her family first toWuhan, then toChongqing. Whilst they moved, Hu increased the number of publications of his literary magazineQi Yue (Chinese:七月), which Meicopy-edited.[2] Mei also edited the magazineXiwang (Chinese:希望).[1] In 1941, Mei fled with her family toHong Kong, which soon fell to the Japanese, after which they went toGuilin. By 1946, the family reachedShanghai, where Mei stayed with their three children until 1949.[2]
In May 1955, both Mei and Hu were arrested forcounter-revolutionary activities. Mei's alleged crime was that she had transcribed Hu's bookSanshi fangyan (Chinese:三十方言). She was released in 1961 after the death of her mother, but was only permitted to visit Hu in prison in 1965.[2] Hu was released in late 1965 and was sent to live inChengdu in early 1966, accompanied by Mei, under surveillance by the Sichuan Municipal Public Security Department. In August, with the onset of theCultural Revolution, the two were taken to a prison camp that produced tea inLushan County, Sichuan. Later, Hu was imprisoned, and frequently fell ill, thus Mei was taken to the prison atDazhou and made to nurse him.[2]
In 1979, Mei was rehabilitated and allowed to return toChengdu. In 1980, Mei was given official permission to take Hu toBeijing, in order to help his increasingly seriousmental illness. Hu died in 1985, after which Mei wrote severalmemoirs detailing his experiences in prison.[2]
Mei joined theChina Writers Association in 1982.[1]
Mei was portrayed byYuan Quan in the 2014 filmThe Golden Era.[3]
