Shi Zhecun, a famous Chinese novelist and translator, passed away Wednesday morning at the Shanghai Huadong Hospital. He was 99.

Shi was born in 1905 in Hangzhou, a scenic city neighboring Shanghai. His fame rose as he started to publish novels in the 1930s. His major works include Head of the General and Evening in the Rainy Season.

Shi was considered by the academic circle as a pioneer of Chinese modern novels. The literary magazine Modern that he compiled was also influential at home and abroad.

During his 80 some years of academic life, Shi mainly focused on Chinese literature research, novel writing and translation. He taught in the department of the Chinese language of Huadong Normal University since 1952.

(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2003)