On a busy urban street corner, an ordinary office worker silently flips through Lu Xun's "The Scream" in a corner of a café. Suddenly, he looked up at the hustle and bustle outside the window, and a strange question welled up in his heart"If Lu Xun were alive now, standing in this modern city, what would his monthly salary be?" ”
This question is like a seed quietly taking root in his heart. As we all know, Lu Xun is the founder of modern Chinese literature, and his words have not only influenced an era, but also transcended the limitations of time and become eternal classics. But in his turbulent era, what kind of economic situation did Lu Xun spend his life in?
This question is not only a curiosity about the economic situation of a historical figure, but also a comparison and reflection of the times. Converted to today's monetary value, what level can Lu Xun's monthly salary reach? What kind of story of economic change and social progress is hidden behind this?
Lu Xun, a great writer who profoundly influenced modern Chinese literature, spanned the major historical stages of the late Qing Dynasty, the Beiyang period to the founding of the National. During this period, China was at a critical juncture of social upheaval and change, transforming from a feudal society to a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society.
In the late Qing Dynasty, China was suffering from aggression by external forces and corruption of internal politics. The aggression of the great powers has led to the loss of national sovereignty and, economically, to the loss of national wealth.
During the Beiyang ** period, although it claimed to realize the modernization of the country, it was actually a period of warlord division and political chaos. The economy of this period was characterized by a large influx of foreign capital, which led to the dependence and exploitation of the domestic economy, and the development of the national economy was severely restricted.
Lu Xun's life and creation in the context of this era reflected the social contradictions and the suffering of the people at that time. His works such as "Diary of a Madman" and "The True Story of Ah Q" profoundly reveal social injustice and the helplessness of the people.
Lu Xun's literary achievements gave him a high reputation in the cultural circles, but this did not mean that he was also financially wealthy. In fact, because the publishing market was not mature at the time, intellectuals usually did not earn much.
Further analysis of Lu Xun's income needs to take into account the monetary value and purchasing power at that time. According to historical records, Lu Xun's monthly salary during his teaching at Peking University was about 360 oceans. This was a relatively generous amount at the time, but it was a tiny amount compared to today's income levels.
At that time, the economic structure and price level of Chinese society were very different from today's. For example, the cost of living for ordinary people was much lower than in modern times, and most people had lower income levels.
In this context, assessing Lu Xun's income level needs to take into account the socio-economic environment at the time. On the one hand, Lu Xun's income was already at the middle and upper class level at that time, which could ensure his basic living and creative needs. On the other hand, due to the political turmoil and economic backwardness of the country at that time, such an income may not be high in the eyes of modern society.
Lu Xun's living conditions, like his creations, are deeply rooted in the soil of that era, reflecting the characteristics and limitations of that era.
To accurately understand the contrast between the income of Lu Xun's time and today's value, we need to deeply analyze the economic conditions, monetary values, and the background of the times.
When Lu Xun was teaching at Peking University in the 1920s, it is recorded that his monthly salary was about 360 oceans. This figure, in face value alone, may seem insignificant today, but at the time, it represented a relatively high economic status.
We need to understand China's monetary system and economic conditions in the 1920s. At that time, the unit of currency was the "ocean", a type of silver coin. At that time, China's economy was mainly based on agriculture and industry was underdeveloped, so the purchasing power of money was much higher than in modern times.
For example, at that time, the cost of living of the average urban family was much lower than in modern times, and the cost of basic daily necessities such as food and clothing was also much lower than today.
Taking into account the effects of inflation, the value of 360 Oceans today needs to be adjusted for the inflation rate of the past hundred years. While there are many challenges to accurate calculations, we can get a rough idea of the modern equivalence of this value by estimating.
Based on historical inflation data, this value could be equivalent to hundreds of thousands or even millions of yuan today. This estimate reveals an important fact:Although 360 oceans may not seem like much by modern standards, at the time, it did represent a higher standard of living.
We also need to consider the social structure and economic environment of the time. In China in the 1920s, social stratification was evident, and intellectuals such as Lu Xun were not financially wealthy, although they had relatively high social status.
This is in stark contrast to today, where a high degree of education tends to lead to a higher income. In Lu Xun's time, even intellectuals like him faced the pressure to make ends meet, and this is reflected in his works.
At the same time, it is also necessary to consider Lu Xun's lifestyle and consumption habits. It is understood that Lu Xun lived a relatively simple life, and his main expenses were concentrated on books and literary creation. This consumption pattern is in reckless contrast to the consumerist lifestyle of today's society.
Today's people often have more spending options and a higher cost of living, which means that even higher incomes can be inadequate in the face of a high cost of living.
Through such a comparison of the values of the times, we can not only more intuitively feel the difference between Lu Xun's era and today, but also more deeply understand the social criticism and human thinking contained in Lu Xun's works.
Lu Xun's economic situation, like his literary works, travels through time and space, providing us with a unique perspective to observe and understand the changes in history and the development of society.
In the process of exploring Lu Xun's monthly salary and its value changes in different eras, we not only reveal the economic life of a historical figure, but also deeply touch the social background and economic context of an era.
Lu Xun's monthly salary, although numerically inferior to the modern high-income group, represented a relatively superior standard of living at that time. This reflects not only the economic conditions of the era, but also the changes in social structure and values.
This comparison across time and space allows us to realize that the measurement of economic conditions and living standards is not only a question of absolute values, but also a question of the background and social environment of the times. LuXun's life and creation were born in such a socio-economic background. His writings are not only literary treasures, but also an important window into our understanding of that era.