Yu Hua (born 1960) is one of the most talented Chinese writers of the «new wave», a laureate of numerous international awards. The novel offered to the reader was named in China among the top ten books of the decade. The book tells the story of the fate of an ordinary Chinese peasant—and through it, the fate of all of China in the second half of the 20th century. A film was made based on the novel «To Live» by the famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou. At the Cannes Film Festival, the film won three awards, including the Grand Prix of the jury.