Gu Cheng

Gu Cheng (; September 24, 1956 – October 8, 1993) was a famous Chinese modern poet, essayist and novelist. He was a prominent member of the "Misty Poets", a group of Chinese modernist poets.

Biography Gu Cheng was born in Beijing on 24 September 1956. He was the son of a prominent party member and the army poet Gu Gong. She died later on the way to a hospital. The story of his death was widely covered in the Chinese media.

"A Generation" The two-line poem titled "A Generation" ("一代人") was perhaps Gu Cheng's most famous contribution to contemporary Chinese literature. It had been considered an accurate representation of the younger generation during the Chinese Cultural Revolution seeking knowledge and future.

(translated by Juan Yuchi) The darkest night gave me dark-colored eyes Yet with them I'm seeking light

黑夜给了我黑色的眼睛 我却用它寻找光明

Legacy Gu Cheng's life was dramatised in the 1998 film The Poet , which focussed on his recurrent depression and the murder of his wife.