While new literary icons emerged this year, others passed away.
Sun Zhongxu, the translator of works by JD Salinger and George Orwell, committed suicide on Aug 28, provoking discussions about translators' low pay.
Philosopher, Sinologist and professor Tang Yijie died on the eve of Teacher's Day on Sept 9, leaving unfinished his ambitious Confucian Canon-a comprehensive collection of the Confucian classics, estimated to have around 1 billion words.
Zhang Xianliang, who's known for breaking the Chinese taboo on sex in literature with his works after the "cultural revolution" (1966-76), died at 78 on Sept 27.