His writings concern rural life in the mountainous area of southern Hunan of which he was very familiar.
Later, when he attended school, he was exposed to classical works (such as The Five Younger Gallants) and developed an interest in literature.
In 1986, The New York Times reported that he has "risen to prominence in the last three years among some younger writers who seek to rediscover, if not necessarily to affirm, China's traditional life and values.
[5] In China he has been called the Shen Congwen of the 1980s[6] and even the Thomas Hardy of Hunan," although Perry Link (professor of Chinese at the University of California) disagreed that Gu is comparable to those talents.
[5] His novel, Virgin Widows (Chen Neu) deals with outmoded views of chastity and adultery.