8.2.1 Introduction of Lao She and His life in Jina...
Lao She (1899-1966), was originally named Shu Qingchun, was born in Beijing.He was an outstanding Chinese modern novelist, famous writer, dramatist, and outstanding language master.He was the first writer to achieve the title of “People’s Artist” in China.[1]Lao She’s literary works have nurtured the spirit of several generations of Chinese people (Fig.8-2).
Figure 8-2.Writer Lao She
In 1921, Lao She began to publish novel works.In 1922, he taught Chinese at Nankai Middle School in Tianjin.During this period, he was keen on social services.From 1924 to 1929, he was a lecturer at the School of Oriental and African Studies ‘SOAS’ of the University of London in the United Kingdom.While living in London, he published three novels.In the summer of 1929, he left England to Singapore to teach in a middle school.In 1930, he returned to Qilu University to teach and write.In 1934, he was a professor in the Department of Literature, Shandong University.In 1936, Lao She resigned his job and devoted himself to writing.After the final outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War in 1937, Lao She was elected as the director of the General Affairs Department of the China Literature and Art Anti-Enemy Association.In 1946, Lao She went to America to teach, then returned to China in 1949.In 1950, the Chinese Folk Literature Research Association was established.Lao She was a Vice-President.In 1951, he was awarded the title of “People’s Artist”.In 1953, he was elected as a Chairman of the Writers’ Association of the China and a Vice-Chairman of China Federation of literary and Art.On August 24, 1966, Lao She threw himself into the Taiping Lake in Beijing because he could not bear the violence and insult from the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution.[2](https://www.daowen.com)
Lao She lived for 67 years, of which 42 years were spent in Beijing.The remaining 25 years were 5 years in UK, 1 year in Singapore, 7 years in Shandong Jinan and Qingdao, 6 months in Hankou, 7.5 years in Chongqing and 4 years in the United States.However, in his lifetime, the most memorable and creative city is Jinan, a spring city, where he successively created works of great importance in the history of modern literature.[3]
Lao She was fond of Jinan and had written many essays describing Jinan.His love for Jinan was overwhelming, and his praise of Jinan was mainly reflected in his proses, such as Jinan’s Autumn, Jinan’s Winter, Spring of Daming Lake, Baotu Spring’s Appreciation, etc.In his prose Jinan’s Autumn, Lao She wrote: “Autumn in Jinan is poetic.There must be mountains and rivers in the realm of poetry, so please look at Jinan.”[4]In another widely celebrated masterpiece Jinan’ Winter, he wrote: “In the winter of northern China, Jinan is really a treasure land with warm and sunny weather.”[5]
During the war era, it was Jinan that made Lao She a ‘backyard’ of his peaceful creation.At the same time, Lao She also added a unique cultural charm to Jinan.It was him who discovered and described the beauty of Jinan, let the world remember Jinan.Even though he only lived in Jinan for about 4.5 years, Lao She had a deep affinity for Jinan, and achieved many things, such as literary achievements, his family, his friends.Therefore, Lao She called Jinan his second hometown.Nowadays, Lao She’s former residence has become a famous landmark of Jinan.