Chinese Poet Yu Xiuhua Gains New Attention for Her Candid and Joyful Reflections on Menopause

Celebrated Chinese poet Yu Xiuhua has once again captured public attention, this time for her unusually cheerful view of menopause and for writing a poem that celebrates the physical and emotional transformation associated with that stage of life. Her remarks, shared recently on social media, sparked wide conversation and added another chapter to her reputation as a bold and unconventional literary voice.

Yu, who is forty nine and comes from a rural village in Hubei province, first rose to national fame in 2014 after her poetry went viral. Despite being born with cerebral palsy, she developed a powerful and distinctive writing style that resonated deeply with readers across China. Her poems often combine sharp emotional insight with vivid metaphors and a direct expression of desire and longing. This openness, particularly about the inner lives and sexual desires of women, has made her both admired and controversial.

Her path to literary success was far from easy. Yu dropped out of secondary school due to her disability and limited opportunities. At nineteen, she entered an arranged marriage with a man more than a decade older, a relationship she later described as emotionally painful and isolating. She continued writing through these difficult years, developing her craft even though her unsteady right hand made it physically challenging to put words on paper. She often steadied her writing hand with her left as she worked late into the night.

After the publication of her first book, the financial independence it brought allowed her to divorce her husband, a moment she has openly described as one of the happiest of her life. She has since become known for her forthright approach to love. She once publicly confessed her affection for another writer and in 2022 she announced a relationship with a younger man, a romance that ended publicly just a month later.

Yu has remained extremely active on social media, where her quick responses and humorous exchanges have attracted a large following. Recently, she invited users to ask her questions. When one person asked her to share something happy that had happened in her life, she answered simply and unexpectedly with the word menopause. Her response surprised many and led her to compose a poem in which she compared menstruation to rivers, tides and the universe, framing the end of menstruation as a natural and liberating transition rather than something to be feared.

Her poem resonated with many women. One reader commented that the poem reminded her that a woman’s purity and worth do not depend on age or physical condition. Another follower wrote that she felt guilty for wanting to enjoy life rather than working relentlessly as her parents wished. Yu responded with characteristic wit, saying that her parents should work hard first if they want to set such an example.

Yu Xiuhua continues to challenge social expectations through her writing and public presence. Her latest reflections on menopause offer a fresh perspective on womanhood, inviting readers to embrace change with honesty and even joy.