Shi Tiesheng, a Chinese writer, died in Beijing Xuanwu Hospital at 3 am on Friday, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The writer suffered a headache and vomited after dialysis treatment, and fell into a coma, Wang Shengshan, secretary general of Beijing Writers' Association, told Xinhua. "He was rushed to hospital, but didn't wake up," Wang said.

Born in 1951, Shi Tiesheng was paralyzed in his early 20s. Later, he suffered from kidney illness and had to receive dialysis. Among a number of prizes Shi won are China's National Excellent Short Stories Award and the Luxun Literary Prize. He is best known for the prose essay Wo Yu Di Tan (The Temple of Earth and I), which has inspired many readers.