25 Literary and Artistic Celebrities Die in China in Less than 40 Days

People wait to see a doctor at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, the nation's largest hospital by bed count, in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, on Jan. 30, 2023. VCG/VCG via Getty Images

In less than 40 days since the start of 2024, at least 25 prominent figures in China’s arts and culture sector have died of illness or accidents. Nine people were under the age of 60.

Among the deceased were Shi Yu, 53, senior editor of the Henan Daily Newspaper Group; Cheng Xue Li, 51, chairman of the Shijiazhuang Municipal Writers’ Association; Wang Zhichao, former director of the Harbin Repertory Theatre; Zhao Fu, former party chief of the Liaoning Daily Newspaper; Guo Jie, former deputy editor-in-chief and party chief of the Guangzhou Daily Newspaper; and Shen Rong, a renowned female writer and a member of Beijing Literary and Art Federation.