In the bright starry sky of modern Chinese literature, Lao She is undoubtedly the most dazzling one. With his profound humanistic care, simple language style and vivid character building, he has left a strong mark in the history of Chinese literature.
Shu Qingchun, also known as Lao She, was born in Beijing in 1899 in a poor Manchu family, and grew up under the influence of the hutong culture of the capital. His early life was full of hardships and sufferings of the people at the bottom of society, which became the source of his later works to pay attention to the lives of ordinary people. When he was young, Lao She was admitted to the Beijing Normal School with excellent results, and was fortunate to receive the influence of Western education, which broadened his horizons for his future literary creation.
In 1924, Lao She went to England to teach at the Oriental College of the University of London, and this overseas experience not only greatly improved his English skills, but also provided him with a new perspective to examine his own national culture. During this period, he began to write in Chinese, completing early works such as "The Philosophy of Lao Zhang" and "Zhao Ziyue", showing his unique sense of humor and courage to sharply criticize the old society.
After returning to China, Lao She went deep into the lives of the people and devoted himself to creation with more enthusiasm. Published in 1936, the long story "Camel Xiangzi", through the fate of the protagonist Xiangzi, profoundly reflected the living misery and social injustice of the urban poor in old China, and became a classic of modern Chinese literature. Subsequently, a series of popular works such as "Four Generations in the Same Hall" and "Teahouse" came out one after another, which further established his important position in the history of modern literature.
Lao She's words are deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, whether it is ** or drama, it has won the love of readers with its vivid characters, authentic Beijing dialect and strong local color. Especially in the field of drama, "Teahouse" can be called the pinnacle of modern Chinese drama, which condenses the social and historical changes from the end of the Qing Dynasty to the founding of New China in the form of a three-act play, showing the joys and sorrows of generation after generation and the vicissitudes of national destiny.
As a people's artist, Lao She has always adhered to the direction of literature and art serving the people, and he uses words as the best to truly reflect social reality, expose darkness, praise light, and provide spiritual support for the struggle of the Chinese people for independence and freedom. Lao She's life is a life of walking with the times and sharing the fate with the people, and his works are like a mirror, reflecting the historical outlook of modern Chinese society, and also reflecting his deep concern for human dignity and value.