He also made the acquaintance of a number of young Chinese intellectuals, including Tian Han, Yu Dafu and Guo Moruo. In his 1924 novel Mato (“Demon City”, 1924), he portrayed the dichotomy of Shanghai – a modern, beautiful, civilized façade, hiding a darker side populated by all manner of criminals and vice.
He also encountered a number of young Chinese intellectuals, including Tian Han, Yu Dafu, and Guo Moruo. In his 1924 novel Mato (“Demon City”, 1924), he portrayed the disparity between Shanghai – a modern, beautiful, refined appearance, but beneath lay a darker reality inhabited by various criminals and vices.