Against today’s backdrop of globalization, study in cross-cultural communication as well as the relations and interactions has, among literatures of nations, been of immense importance. Since the days of yore in Vietnam, our literature has been under profound influence of Chinese literature. Over periods of time, Vietnamese people step by step absorb Chinese literature, thus enrich their spiritual and cultural life. Lu Xun is the first name among China’s modern writers to get known in Vietnam; also the only modern author whose works have been subject to be taught in Vietnam’s general education school to date. From beginning to end of 20th century, Lu Xun remains an icon to be esteemed and honored by Vietnamese people. While scope of readers to Lu Xun’s works becomes larger with every passing day in Vietnam, there are more and more extensive researches on this man of letters. The Vietnamese feel deep affection for Lu Xun not only because he pillars the bridge to approach China’s modern literature, which experiences modernisation in very nearly parallel and resemblance with that of Vietnam; but also for his close intimacy with the people. Authors of this article, who have spent 20 years teaching and studying in Lu Xun, whose lives span two centuries of 20th and 21th and witness changes over the millennium eve, wish, upon going over his writings, to give a retrospect of how Lu Xun gained popularity in Vietnam, in attempt to highlight the role of the author in the process of reformation and modernisation of literature, thence reaffirm an eternal icon of letters whose profile “against the literature sky of this century”
