Selected Works of Lao She

Author: Shu Yi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: This book is selected and compiled by Shu Yi, the son of the renowned writer Lao She (Director of the China Modern Literature Museum), and features exquisite illustrations drawn by famous art experts such as Ding Cong. It includes several representative short stories from different periods of Lao She's life, including the famous novel Rickshaw Boy. At the end of the book, there are two personal manuscripts by Lao She, recounting the process of writing Rickshaw Boy and short stories, which allow readers to gain a deeper understanding of the author's creative journey and appreciate the profound meaning behind the works.
The book features Lao She's famous novels Rickshaw Boy, the novellas Crescent Moon and My Whole Life, as well as six short stories: Taking Office, Black and White Li, Eyes, Subtle Spirit, , and Morning with Dogs. The appendix includes two personal manuscripts by Lao She: How I Wrote Rickshaw Boy and How I Wrote Short Stories. Among them, the serialized novel Rickshaw Boy, which began in September 1936 in Universe Wind, is Lao She's most significant achievement in the field of fiction. The novel tells the story of a young, strong-willed, and vibrant rickshaw puller who hopes to change his humble status through personal struggle. Despite his relentless efforts and struggles, he faces only failure and setbacks. As his dreams crumble, so does his faith in life and his pursuit of it. Through a rigorous realist approach, the author portrays the process of the protagonist's decline—from self-respect and confidence to self-abandonment—as he is destroyed by life. The personal misfortune of the character, Xiangzi, is a profound social tragedy with far-reaching significance. The novel vividly reflects the author's genuine compassion and deep understanding of the urban poor, making it one of Lao She's main representative works.
Rickshaw Boy is one of the finest works of the 1930s in China and an outstanding modern Chinese novel. It established Lao She's important position in the history of modern Chinese literature. After being translated into English in the 1940s, it also won the admiration of international readers. The selected stories in this book are all representative works, and the book also includes over 20 illustrations, making it a valuable collection of short story selections.