To Live (novel)

''To Live'' () is a novel written by Chinese novelist Yu Hua in 1993. It follows the life of Xu Fugui as he transforms from the selfish idling son of a wealthy landowner to a solitary peasant during the Chinese Communist Revolution.

The story begins with the narrator traveling through the Chinese countryside to collect folk songs and local legends when he hears an old peasant's life story, which encompasses major historical events in China. Over the course of the story, Fugui describes witnessing the deaths of all his family members and loved ones.

The book was originally published in the Shanghai literary journal ''Harvest'' (). It has since been translated into more than a dozen languages. A film rendition, directed by Zhang Yimou, was released in 1994. The novel has also been adapted into a television series and stage play. Provided by Wikipedia