A portrait of Jane Austen [Photo/VCG]

Jane Austen’s oeuvres have been grabbing Chinese readers' attentions for decades now. And as the world celebrated the 200th anniversary of her death earlier this week, Chinese fans recall their first encounter with the English novelist.

Meng Qingtao, a 26-year-old media worker, said his most favorite book of Austen is "Pride and Prejudice". He discovered the author after watching a movie adaptation of the novel in one scorching summer afternoon in 2009.

"At the time, I was busy with studies at high school but I was touched by the female protagonist in the romantic story and I got hooked on Jane Austen."

Later, he was introduced to another work of Austen that made it to the big screen "Sense and Sensibility," which was directed by Ang Lee and starred Anne Hathaway.