An anarchist in his youth, he became famous for his novels and stories, most notably the "Torrents" trilogy of Family, Spring and Autumn in the 1930s, and Cold Nights in 1947. After the revolution he wrote mostly non-fiction documentary essays, traveling as a reporter during the Korean war, until he was targeted and silenced during the Cultural Revolution.

After rehabilitation, he wrote primarily essays, including several volumes of "Random Thoughts" which included his memories of other writers and of the Cultural Revolution. Ba Jin, along with playwright Cao Yu and author and poet Bing Xin, was considered a living treasure, the three often wrote letters to each other in their later years.

Ba Jin collected an impressive list of positions on literary societies and on the boards of magazines. Until his death he was listed as editor-in-chief of the literary magazine Harvest. He was often mentioned as one of China's best hopes for a Nobel Prize in literature.

Xinhua's bulletin: China's first-generation literary craftsman Ba Jin passed away in Shanghai at 7:06 pm on 17 October. Ba Jin was born on 25 November 1904 on Zhengtongshun Street in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.