Wang Anyi, one of China’s most distinguished novelists, was photographed on her balcony at her Shanghai residence in 1988. Her early work already showed the emotional depth and observational acuity that would later define her literary career, including her acclaimed novel The Song of Everlasting Sorrow.

Her relaxed pose and contemplative expression suggest a writer confident in her voice, yet still at the beginning of an important literary journey.

This portrait captures a pivotal moment in the career of one of China’s essential contemporary authors.