The Chronicle of Ah Q -- Life Chapter

Author: Xue Qian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: In China, Ah Q, a character born from the pen of the great writer Lu Xun, is a household name. The reason Ah Q's character resonates so deeply is not only because of his "Q"-shaped head but also because he often uses the "spiritual victory method" to defend his weaknesses and conceal his awkward situations. However, Ah Q in Lu Xun's works is still Ah Q of the old society; his personality traits are in harmony with the social reality of that time. The Ah Q I draw, on the other hand, is Ah Q of the new era, whose experiences and actions are closely related to modern life. He might foolishly hold flowers and ask for love from a beautiful or wealthy woman, he mightly suffer from "wife domination," and he might even surrender to the temptation of extramarital affairs. Such an Ah Q is everywhere in our real life. Of course, despite the time gap, the new Ah Q and the old Ah Q share a connection at their core—they both use the spiritual victory method to seek psychological balance when facing setbacks. Indeed, the Ah Q I portray has many flaws common to modern people, but he also has many endearing qualities. In this book, we will see how he cleverly designs a trap to catch a thief, how he goes to great lengths to calm a crying baby at night, and so on. All these humorous scenes come together to form a richer and more vivid image of Ah Q. I hate Ah Q, but I also love Ah Q, and I believe readers will feel the same after reading this book.