The Japanese writer Yukio Mishima's works have attracted the attention of Chinese readers since the The Sea of Fertility tetralogy was translated into Chinese in 1971. Although these books were translated for "internal reference" and "critique," their existence shows that literary researchers, Japanese literary translators, and readers in mainland China had begun to consider Mishima's literature. After reform developments and the opening up of China in the 1980s, additional works by Mishima began to be translated in China, which increased studies of Mishima and his literature. The translations and studies of Mishima's literature were performed from the cultural perspectives of different national ideologies, praise, or derogation. Mishima's process of growth as an author and studies and acceptance of his literature from initial political evaluations to evaluations of its literary value were tortuous and complex. What kind of man was Yukio Mishima? How were his literary works translated and disseminated in China? The great value of Mishima's literature can be shown by the significant spread of his literature in China based on the number of translated works.