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Final Paper

Modern Literature: The Quest for Love of Lao Lee

The Introduction of the Author Lao She

Shu Qingchun, known by his pen name Lao She, was a Chinese writer of Manchu ethnicity. A prominent modern Chinese novelist, essayist, and playwright, he is widely regarded as a representative figure of modern Chinese literature. His representative works include the novels Rickshaw Boy (Camel Xiangzi) and Four Generations Under One Roof, as well as the play Teahouse.Born on February 3, 1899, into a poor Manchu family in Beijing, Lao She graduated from the Beijing Normal University in 1918. He subsequently served as a primary school principal and an educational inspector. In 1924, recommended by colleagues, he traveled to London to serve as a lecturer in Chinese at the School of Oriental Studies (now SOAS), University of London. During this period, he wrote The Philosophy of Lao Zhang and Mr. Ma and Son, marking the true beginning of his literary career.In December 1951, due to the immense social impact of his play Dragon Beard Ditch, he was awarded the title of "People's Artist" by the Beijing Municipal People's Government.In the infamous "August 23 Incident," he was forced to kneel and was brutally beaten. The following day, he committed suicide by drowning himself in Taiping Lake.(Wiki,Lao She)

The Origin and Content of The Quest for Love of Lao Lee

The publication of this book actually stemmed from a farce involving Modern magazine and the Liangyou Publishing Company. After missing out on the publishing rights for Cat Country, Liangyou was in desperate need of a new book to publish. Under these "urgent" circumstances, Lao She reluctantly agreed to the task."Before writing The Quest for Love of Lao Lee, Lao She did not have a central idea that could naturally evolve into such a story; the concept appeared almost instantaneously and took shape immediately". (Lao She,1990)Even before organizing the specific content, Lao She decided on a humorous writing style. Lao She’s writing process was often adventurous—he would discover new facts as he wrote. Even when he had a central theme in mind, he often digressed because of the characters or plot shifts. However, while writing Divorce, he was determined to "tether" his characters to a fixed point. This determination highlights the significant importance Lao She placed on this particular novel. The novel centers on the theme of divorce, depicting the marital crises and domestic disputes of several clerks working at a financial office in Beiping. This book contains no earth-shattering events; instead, it is filled with the petty squabbles of the "Xiao Shimin" (urban commoners). The story features a cast of characters including: Big Brother Chang, Lao Lee, Old Chen, Old Qiu, Old Wu, Small Chao, Mrs. Li, Mrs. Chang, Mrs. Chen, Mrs. Qiu, Mrs. Wu, and the young daughter-in-law of the Ma family.

Analysis of Major Charactors

Lao Lee: Lao Lee is a man of extensive reading but slightly stubborn. He is inarticulate and constantly appears stiff and ill-at-ease. He finds himself utterly indifferent to the trivial gossips, domestic squabbles, and petty intrigues of the world. While his mind is a whirlpool of "excessive thoughts," his mouth fails to utter a single word. He is a man consumed by internal contradictions—locked in a perpetual struggle with himself—unable to give up traditional moral codes, yet incapable of mastering the "games" of society. On the surface, he seems even-tempered, but internally, his rage burns hotter than anyone’s. His life is defined by rigidity, despondency, honesty, and a sense of pathetic helplessness; he lives with a certain other-worldly detachment, serving as a symbol of existential angst. Lao Lee’s thoughts fluctuate between the meticulous and the coarse, just as his personality shifts between softness and hardness. He is no madman, but these contradictions prevent him from ever achieving social prominence. While he is willing to settle for the bare minimum regarding material comforts, he refuses to compromise on his choice of career or friends. He uses a passive acceptance of poverty to balance out the "active advancement" he so deeply disdains, seeking nothing from others. Because he views the world with a cold, detached eye, he possesses a sense of humor. He is aware of his own contradictions and can see the inherent absurdities of the world. Thus, his cynical remarks carry a double-layered bitterness: one for himself, and one for the world at large. As Lao She put it in this book:“I don’t care about love. What I’m after is poetic ideas. Family, society, one’s nation, the world, are all so down to earth, and so unpoetic. Most women, married and unmarried, are ordinary—maybe even more ordinary than men. I want, even if I could only look at her, a girl not yet spoiled by the lessons of reality, passionate as a poem, delightful as a symphony, pure and chaste like an angel from Heaven. Maybe I am crazy. But my craziness is that if I know myself at all, I am the kind of person who would rather dream than be romantic. I know the world is dark and gloomy, but I hope for immediate peace. I know that life is short, but I dream of eternity, without allowing myself to be superstitious but always hoping to be a mystic. My craziness is the kind which is made up of these indescribable elements. You probably think that all my words are just a waste of time.”(Henela Kuo,1948)

Big Brother Chang: Lao She introduces Big Brother Chang’s character in the very first sentence of the novel with striking clarity: "So terrific was Chang’s passion for Big-Brotherliness that you would think that he expected even his own father to call him Big Brother".(Lao She,1981) Lao Chang is a devoted matchmaker who staunchly opposes divorce and free love. In his eyes, men and women are like equal weights on a scale; only when the weights are perfectly balanced does it count as a "top-tier marriage." For example, if a woman has pockmarks on her face, Lao Chang will seek out a husband for her who stutters or is nearsighted. Big Brother Chang is the ultimate information hub—there is nothing in Beiping he doesn't know. He is a master of flattery and a social chameleon who can navigate any situation with ease. His vast life experience allows him to move comfortably through all social circles; he knows everyone and can handle everything. Big Brother Chang is genuinely warm-hearted. Upon hearing that his colleague Lao Lee is facing a "divorce crisis," he immediately invites him to dinner. He has no patience for Lao Lee’s yearning for "poetic romance" in marriage. Instead, Big Brother Chang believes Lao Lee’s primary duty is to bring his wife and children from the countryside to the city, "educate" his wife, care for his kids, and focus on being a dutiful civil servant. His helpfulness is never just for show. He doesn't just offer advice; he physically helps Lao Lee find a well-located house, fix the roof and mend the windows himself. However, Big Brother Chang is also a man who disregards the distinction between right and wrong. In the novel, the husband of "Second Sister" is arrested for practicing medicine without a license. Fearing that a divorce would ruin his own reputation as their matchmaker—and adhering to the proverb "Better to destroy a temple than to break up a marriage"—Big Brother Chang uses his social connections (Renqing) to bail the man out. He then instructs the husband to use similar "favors" to bribe his way into getting a medical license. Through Lao Lee’s perspective, Lao She offers a biting critique of this behavior: "These 'stop-gap' solutions seem only to serve in maintaining the darkness of society."(Lao She,1981)

Small Chao: Small Chao is an absolute villain—arrogant, supercilious, and a man who exploits his "connections" (Guanxi) to commit all manner of misdeeds. He seizes every possible opportunity to humiliate "outsiders" or those he deems socially inferior. A prime example occurs when Lao Lee’s wife first arrives in the city. Under the guise of a welcoming gesture, he exerts his full capacity for humiliation. As described in the text: "Mrs. Lee sat down because everyone else was sitting. Small Chao pulled her chair out from behind, farther and farther away from her. Mrs. Lee wasn’t looking and almost fell down."(Henala Kuo,1948) Small Chao never misses a chance to exploit others in their moments of desperation. When Big Brother Chang’s son, Tianzhen, is wrongfully imprisoned as a suspected revolutionary, the usually well-connected Big Brother Chang finds himself powerless despite exhausting all his favors. Forced to beg Small Chao for help, he is met with a predatory demand: Small Chao agrees to save the son only on the condition that Big Brother Chang gives him his daughter’s hand in marriage. A significant portion of Small Chao’s villainy is what we might today call "malicious aggression"—evil that seems to have no specific aim other than the suffering of others. Someone frequently goes out of his way to create difficulties for his colleagues, intentionally putting them in embarrassing or impossible situations just to watch them squirm.

The language with a distinctive Beijing Vernacular Flavor

"Lao She was an outstanding master of language. In the use of vibrant, pure Beijing vernacular for literary and dramatic creation, he stands unrivaled among modern Chinese writers." (Hong&Ke,1993)Beijing was the wellspring of Lao She’s creative work. He spent the majority of his life in the city, and his childhood experience of listening to oral storytelling at Tianqiao provided him with an abundance of material for his writing. In his A Self-Account of Three Years of Writing, Lao She wrote:"I was born in Beiping; its people, events, scenery, and flavors, along with the rhythmic cries of vendors selling sour plum soup and apricot tea, are all intimately familiar to me. As soon as I close my eyes, my Beiping emerges complete, standing in my heart like a vivid, colorful painting. I dare to depict it boldly. It is a clear stream; every time I reach in my hand, I catch a lively, splashing fish."(Lao She,1990)The Beijing vernacular in the novel The Quest for Love of Lao Lee is beyond count. For example: 子儿、紫里套青、脱鸭鸭、打联联、瞎掰、砸匾、发整、两搀儿、亮儿、准稿子. These authentic expressions make for a delightful read and vividly portray the daily lives of the city's residents.

Reflection

Although this book appears to deal with trivialities,it resonates powerfully with contemporary readers. Beyond the eternal struggle of "seeking understanding and longing to escape inner angst and worldly vulgarity," readers can identify several strikingly modern themes within the novel: workplace politics, privacy invasion,NEET, marital conflicts,gender equality, regional discrimination. It is shocking that the issues described nearly 100 years ago have undergone no fundamental change. Melancholy, perfunctoriness, philistinism, weakness, and nervous tension continue to run rampant in today's society. The novel suggests that only by steadfastly maintaining one's inner purity and moral faith can one become a hero capable of triumphing over the "banality of evil" inherent in a mediocre world. The value confusion of a transitional period and the "slight ripples in stagnant water" following the ebbing tide of the Cultural Revolution constitute the dazedness of the era. For a significant portion of young people who possess an idealistic temperament yet lack the capacity for action, the discrepancy between the principles learned from books and the reality of the world often results in a spiritual "dazedness" as they leave school and enter society.

Terms and Expressions

Manchu ethnicity 满族

in desperate need of 急需

urban commoners 小市民

matchmaker 媒人

stop-gap 权宜之计

Questions

1. After writing which book was Lao She awarded the title of "People's Artist"?

2. What is the linguistic style of The Quest for Love of Lao Lee?

3. Who is the protagonist of the book?

4. What other representative works did Lao She write?

5. Can you please list the Beijing dialect expressions in the book?

Answers

1. Dragon Beard Ditch

2. Humorous

3. Lao Lee

4. Cat Country, Richshaw Boy, The Philosophy of Lao Zhang, Four Generations Under One Roof

5. 子儿、紫里套青、脱鸭鸭

References

[1]Wiki,Lao She.

[2]老舍:《老舍文集》第15卷我怎样写《离婚》.北京:人民文学出版社,1990:213.

[3]Henela Kuo: The Quest for Love of Lao Lee. New York:REYNAL&HITCHCOCK,1948:21+107.

[4]老舍: 《离婚》.北京:人民文学出版社,1981:1+19.

[5]洪忠煌&克莹. 老舍话剧的艺术世界[M]. 北京:学苑出版社,1993:35．

[6]老舍：《老舍文集》第15卷三年写作自述.北京:人民文学出版社,1990:477.

期末论文

现代文学——离婚

作家简介

舒庆春，字舍予，笔名老舍，北京满族正红旗，近代中国小说家、散文家、剧作家，被广泛认为是中国近现代文学的代表人物。其代表作有长篇小说《骆驼祥子》《四世同堂》，话剧《茶馆》等。1899年2月3日，老舍出身于北京一个贫苦的旗人家庭。1918年，老舍自北京师范学校毕业，担任小学校长、劝学员等职。1924年，受举荐的老舍前往伦敦大学东方学院担任中文讲师，并撰写《老张的哲学》《赵子曰》与《二马》，开始从事真正意义上的文学创作。1951年12月，因为《龙须沟》的巨大影响力，被北京市人民政府授予“人民艺术家”称号。1966年7月，在被红卫兵批斗的第二天，老舍不堪折磨，投湖自尽（Wiki,Lao She）。

写作缘由及内容简介

《离婚》的问世实则来自《现代》杂志和良友出版公司之间的闹剧，良友公司在错失《猫城记》出版权之后，急需索求一本新书出版。在“十万火急”的情况下，老舍硬着头皮答应下来。"在写离婚之前，心中并没有过任何可以发展到这样一个故事的“心核”，它几乎是忽然来到而马上成了个“样儿”的"(老舍，1990)。在还没有组织好具体的写作内容之前，老舍就决定了“幽默”的行文风格。老舍写东西总是冒险式的，随写随着发现新事实；即便有时有了中心思想，也往往因为人物或事实跑了题，但在写离婚时老舍下决心要把人物拴在一个“木桩”上。从中可以看出老舍对于《离婚》这本小说的重视程度。小说以离婚为主题，主要介绍了北平财政所几个科员的离婚危机以及家庭纠纷。离婚里面没有惊天动地的故事，全是小市民的龇牙咧嘴，老李老张老陈老邱老吴小赵丁二爷，李太太张太太陈太太邱太太吴太太马家小媳妇。

主要人物分析

老李：读了很多书，脑子不太活，不会说话，总显得拘谨不大方，对世界上发生的一切家长里短、钩心斗角都没有自己的心情。肚子里憋了一堆想法，思想过剩，嘴巴里却吐不出一个字，思想里充满着矛盾，自己要和自己斗争，放不下很多规矩，又拿不起很多套路。看上去没啥脾气，但内心里比谁都火大。活得很死板，活得很丧气，活得很老实，活得很窝囊，活得有点出世，是苦闷的象征。老李的心思忽细忽粗正如其为人忽柔忽硬。他并不是疯子，但是这种矛盾的现象使他“阔”不起来。对于自己物质的享受，他什么都能将就，对于择业择友一点也不将就。他用消极的安贫去平衡他所不屑的积极发展，无求于人。他可以冷眼静观宇宙了，所以他幽默，他知道自己矛盾，也看得出世事矛盾。他的风凉话是含着这双重的苦味。老舍在书中这样写道：“我并不想尝尝恋爱的滋味，我要追求的是点——诗意。家庭、社会、国家、世界，都是脚踏实地的，都没有诗意。大多数的妇女——已婚的未婚的都算在内——是平凡的，或者比男人们更平凡一些；我要——哪怕是看看呢——一个还未被实际给教坏了的女子，情热像一首诗，愉快像一些乐音，贞纯像个天使。我大概是有点疯狂，这点疯狂是，假如我能认识自己不敢浪漫而愿有个梦想，看社会黑暗而希望马上太平，知道人生的宿命而想象一个永生的乐园，不许自己迷信而愿有些神秘，我的疯狂是这些个不好形容的东西组合成的；你或者以为这全是废话？”（老舍，1981）。

老张：在小说开头老舍用一句话就交代清楚了张大哥的为人，“张大哥是一切人的大哥，你总以为他的父亲也得叫他大哥；他的“大哥”味儿就这么足”（老舍，1981）。张大哥喜欢做媒，反对离婚和自由恋爱。比如，如果女人脸上有麻子，张大哥就会给她找一个说话结巴或者眼睛近视的男人当丈夫。在张大哥看来男女是天秤上重量相等的砝码，只有重量相同，才算得上是“上等婚姻”。张大哥是信息通，全北平的事他都知道，擅于溜须拍马、八面逢迎，十足的生活经验让他自在从容地出入各种场合，什么都知道什么都会。张大哥十分热情，在听闻同事老李陷入离婚危机时，便热心地邀请他到家吃饭。老张不赞成老李关于婚姻的看法，老李想要追求婚姻中的诗意，但老张认为老李的首要任务是把乡下的妻子儿女接到城里来，教教老婆，陪陪孩子，本本分分地当好差。老张的热心从来不是假把式，他不仅为老李租到了地理位置优越的房子，还事无巨细地帮老李修屋顶，补窗户。但同时，老张也是个是非黑白不分的人。在小说中，二妹妹的丈夫因为没有医生执照行医被抓，二人即将离婚。老张坚信“宁拆一座庙，不毁一桩婚”的道理，同时因为二人结婚是他做的媒，离婚传出去对他的名声不好。于是老张便以送人情的方式把二妹妹的丈夫救了出来，并唆使他以送人情的方式去获取医师证。老舍借老李之口说道：“敷眼目下的办法似乎只能继续保持社会的黑暗”（老舍，1981）。

小赵：十足的坏蛋，趾高气扬，仗着自己的“关系”在社会上为非作歹。他会抓住一切机会羞辱“外乡人”，例如：老李的太太刚进城时，他打着欢迎之词，极尽羞辱之能。文中写道：“李太太见别人坐，她才敢坐。小赵还在后边给拉着椅子，而且故意拉得很远，李太太没留神，差点出溜下去”（老舍，1981）。同时也不忘在别人陷入困难时再“踢别人一脚”；张大哥的儿子被当作革命党误抓进了监狱，张大哥在送完各种人情后仍旧无法救出儿子张天真。迫不得已的情况下，张大哥只得求助恶人小赵，但小赵的条件是，救出天真之后，张大哥必须把自己的女儿嫁给他。小赵的恶一部分是毫无目的的恶，这种恶在如今被称作恶意性攻击。比如：在生活工作中故意刁难同事，让他们下不来台。

独具特色的京味语言

“老舍是杰出的语言大师。在运用鲜活的、纯净的北京语进行文学创作和话剧创作方面，老舍在中国现代作家中是首屈一指的”（洪&克，1993）。北京是老舍创作的源泉，其一生大部分时间都在北京度过，从小在天桥下听书的经历也为老舍的创作提供了丰富的素材。老舍在《三年写作自述》中写道：“我生在北平，那里的人、事、风景、味道，和卖酸梅汤、杏儿茶的吆喝的声音，我全熟悉。一闭眼我的北平就完整的，像一张彩色鲜明的图画浮立在我的心中。我敢放胆地描画它。它是条清溪，我每一探手，就摸上条活泼泼的鱼儿来”（老舍，1990）。《离婚》书中的“京味”语言数不胜数。例如：子儿、紫里套青、脱鸭鸭、打联联、瞎掰、砸匾、发整、两搀儿、亮儿、准稿子等等，这些地道的北京话让人读起来津津有味，生动表现了市民们的日常生活。

反思

这本书看似鸡毛蒜皮，却能引起当代人的强烈共鸣。除了永恒的“寻求理解，渴望摆脱心中的苦闷和尘世的庸俗”，读者还能在小说中看到：职场斗争、干涉隐私、啃老、夫妻矛盾、男女平等、地域歧视等现代化议题。令人震惊的是近乎100年前描写的那些事，在今天仍然没有发生本质的变化，苦闷、敷衍、市侩、软弱、恍惚……在今天的社会仍大行其道，只有坚守住内心的纯洁和道德的信仰，才能成为战胜平庸之恶的勇者。比如老李身上“恍惚”的精神气质也出现在当今年轻人的身上。转型期的价值混乱，大革命落潮后的“死水微澜”，是“恍惚”的时代语境。而相当一部分具有理想主义气质却又缺乏行动能力的青年，当他们走出学校大门、开始进入社会的时候，书本之理与现实之境的落差，也往往造成精神上的“恍惚”。

术语和表达

Manchu ethnicity 满族

in desperate need of 急需

urban commoners 小市民

matchmaker 媒人

stop-gap 权宜之计

问题

1、老舍在写了哪本书之后被评为人民艺术家？

2、《离婚》的主演语言风格是什么？

3、《离婚》中描写的主角是谁？

4、老舍的其他代表作有哪些？

5、你能列出几个书中的北京方言吗？

答案

1、《龙须沟》

2、幽默

3、老李

4、《猫城记》、《骆驼祥子》、《老张的哲学》、《四世同堂》

5、子儿、紫里套青、脱鸭鸭

参考文献