Writing
Bi Shumin
Bi Shumin's rich life experiences as a psychiatrist and formerly an army doctor have clearly had an important influence on her writing. She was born in China's far North West Xinjiang province in 1952. In 1`969 during the cultural revolution she joined the army and then spent eleven years in Tibet. In 1980 she returned to Beijing where after nearly twenty years as a doctor, she published her first novel in 1987. Her works quickly won huge acclaim in China and she has received more than thirty literature awards.
Despite her literary success however, in the 1990s Bi Shumin started on a new career - as a psychiatrist. After qualifying she opened a clinic where she consults once a week. She has said that her decision to follow this path arose from her interest in exploring people's inner worlds. Her novels are renowned for their lively psychological descriptions.
Writing
Bi Shumin launched her writing career with her short novel 'Appointment with Death'. The book was an instant success and quickly seen as representative of what was dubbed the 'new experience' school of novelists. Her books are all bestsellers with some, such as 'Red Prescription', being adapted as TV series.
Bi Shumin's writing is acclaimed for its convincing representations of ordinary lives, and empathy and compassion. 'The Female Psychiatrist' was published in two parts, in March and May 2007. The author has described it as her personal favourite among her works, and the first part sold over 200,000 copies in the first forty days.