The benchmark Shanghai composite index closed 0.05 percent higher at 1,100.650 points, after rising more than 0.4 percent last Friday.
China Animal Husbandry Industry Co, a medicine and vaccine maker, was one of the top gainers on Monday.
Its shares rose 8.1 percent to 5.61 yuan after state media reported that China had recently found three new suspected human cases of bird flu. Top Asian oil refiner Sinopec did not fare as well, shedding 0.25 percent to 4.03 yuan after a major unit, Shanghai Petrochemical Co Ltd, said on Monday it would not be taken private by its parent.
Shanghai Petrochemical, the country's largest integrated petrochemicals company, slid nearly 1.5 percent to close at 3.35 yuan.
China's benchmark index, lifted by the yuan revaluation in July, is still down about 14 percent this year.
"It could easily dip below 1,070 points this week if no major market-moving news comes out," said analyst Chen Jinren with Huatai Securities, referring to the index's next key support level.
Other actively traded stocks included China United Telecommunications Co, which closed 0.4 percent higher at 2.59 yuan.