1. Li Liewen, ‘Muqian zhici’ (Opening Speech), Shenbao, 1 December 1932.
2. Mandarin Duck and Butterfly literature was popular during the late Qing and early Republic period. The themes of this style of literature were broad, but many of them were about romance, legends, and martial arts. They were not seen as serious literature but were intended to be very entertaining and easy to read. See Perry Link, Mandarin Ducks and Butterflies: Popular Fiction in Early Twentieth Century Chinese Cities (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1981).
3. ‘Mao Dun yu “Ziyoutan”’, Shenbao jieshao (The Introduction to Shenbao), ed. Shanghai shudian Shenbao yingyinzu (Shanghai: Shanghai shudian, 1982), p. 59.
4. Chen Diexian’s orginal name was Chen Songshou, and his other famous pen name was Tianxu wosheng.
5. According to Mao Dun, Li Liewen’s father was an old friend of Shi Liangcai, and this relationship initiated Li Liewen.