1. Lu Xun

Lu Xun (1881-1936) was a native of Shaoxing, Zhejiang. A great modern Chinese writer, thinker and revolutionist. Lu Xun's original name was Zhou Shuren, with the courtesy name Zhangshou and the nickname Yucai; "Lu Xun" was a pen name he used after joining the May 4th May 4th Movement. Because of his growing influence, people used to call him Lu Xun.

Little story: There is an important secret to Lu Xun’s success, which is to cherish time. When Lu Xun was twelve years old and attending a private school in Shaoxing, his father was seriously ill and his two younger brothers were still young. Not only did Lu Xun often go to pawnshops and pharmacies, but he also had to help his mother with housework. To avoid affecting his studies, he had to do a good job Precise timing.

After that, Lu Xun squeezed time almost every day. He once said: "Time is like water in a sponge. As long as you squeeze it, there will always be some." Lu Xun had a wide range of interests in reading and also liked writing. He was also deeply interested in folk art, especially legends and paintings;

Because he has dabbled extensively and studied in many aspects, time is really important to him. He was sick all his life, and his working conditions and living environment were not good, but he would work until late at night every day before giving up.

2. Lao She

Lao She (1899～1966) is a famous modern Chinese writer and playwright. His original name was Shu Qingchun, with the courtesy name Sheyu, and his pen names were Xu Qing, Honglai, Feiwo, etc. Lao She is his most commonly used pen name.

A short story: When Lao She was in elementary school, his sister, who had been married for many years, made a new pair of socks for her little brother. She happily put it on for Lao She and watched her brother skip to school. But when her brother came back from school, she found that his feet were empty.

She asked Lao She: "Brother, where are your new socks?" Lao She took out the new pair of socks from his schoolbag and said: "Sister, I took them off as soon as I left school. I was afraid of wearing them. It’s broken. I wear it when I go to school and take it off after school. Sister, I want to compete with those children from rich families, not to be rich.”

Lao She still wore his old clothes when he went to school the next day. old socks, head held up to go to school. As he walked, Lao She thought, if I take off my shoes, I can wear the soles less, so there is a little scholar walking barefoot on the street.

Extended information:

1. Lu Xun’s creative themes

Lu Xun’s novels have a unique selection of themes. In terms of theme selection, Lu Xun only selected “brave generals” from classical literature. The model of strategists, thieves and looters, monsters and gods, talented men and beauties, and later prostitutes and clients, scoundrels and slaves was reformed. With the Enlightenment-style creation purpose of "for life", it created the "expression of farmers and knowledge". "molecules" are two major themes of modern literature.

His materials are "mostly taken from the unfortunate people in a sick society." Lu Xun had an extremely unique vision when dealing with these themes. When observing and expressing his protagonists, he has his own unique perspective, that is, he always pays attention to the mental "suffering" of intellectuals and farmers in the "sick society".

Therefore, in "Hometown", the most shocking thing is not Runtu's subsequent poverty, but the numbness of his soul shown by his "Master".

The exploration of the subject of intellectuals also focuses on their mental trauma and crisis. For example, "At the Restaurant" has a sophisticated eye to see that the heroes who fought against the majority alone in the Revolution of 1911 could not escape the fate of loneliness. Under the pressure of the powerful feudal tradition, he returned to the starting point, consuming his life in decadence.

2. Themes of Lao She’s creations

Most of Lao She’s works are based on citizens’ lives. He is good at depicting the life and destiny of the urban poor, and is particularly good at depicting the confusion, hesitation, and lonely ambivalence of conservative and backward middle- and lower-class citizens who are soaked in feudal patriarchal concepts amid ethnic conflicts and class struggles, and under the impact of new historical trends. And the ridiculous behavior of being in a dilemma and at a loss.

He likes to reflect common social conflicts through ordinary scenes, and his brushstrokes often extend to the exploration of the national spirit or the reflection on the destiny of the nation, allowing people to taste the severity and heaviness of life through lightness and humor. The brightly colored rendering of natural scenery and the meticulous description of customs and human feelings add to the life and interest of the work.

Baidu Encyclopedia—Lu Xun

Baidu Encyclopedia—Lao She