Lao She was one of China's most prolific writers with more than 1000 literary works. His full-length novels are extraordinary accomplishments, and he is known as one of the three pillars of the contempopary novel alongside Mao Dun and Ba Jin. He was looked upon as the originator of the modern Peking flavour, and has become an icon of Beijing culture.
Background
Lao She was born in Beijing, to a poor family of the Sumuru clan belonging to the Red Banner. His father, who was a guard soldier, died in a street battle with the Eight-Power Allied Forces in the course of the Boxer Rebellion events in 1901. "During my childhood," Lao She later recalled, "I didn't need to hear stories about evil ogres eating children and so forth; the foreign devils my mother told me about were more barbaric and cruel than any fairy tale ogre with a huge mouth and great fangs. And fairy tales are only fairy tales, whereas my mother's stories were 100 percent factual, and they directly affected our whole family.".
Education
In 1913, he was admitted to the Beijing Normal Third High School (currently Beijing Third High School), but had to leave after several months because of financial difficulties.
Career
Between 1918 and 1924, Lao She was involved as administrator and faculty member at a number of primary and secondary schools in Beijing and Tianjin. He was highly influenced by the May Fourth Movement (1919). He stated, "[The] May Fourth [Movement] gave me a new spirit and a new literary language. I am grateful to [The] May Fourth [Movement], as it allowed me to become a writer."
He went on to serve as lecturer in the Chinese section of the (then) School of Oriental Studies (now the School of Oriental and African Studies) at the University of London from 1924 to 1929. During his time in London, he absorbed a great deal of English literature (especially Dickens, whom he adored) and began his own writing. His later novel (Ma and Son) drew on these experiences.
In the summer of 1929, he left Britain for Singapore, teaching at the Chinese High School. Between his return to China in the spring of 1930 until 1937, he taught at several universities, including Cheeloo University and Shandong University (Qingdao).
Politics
After the founding of the Republic of China, Lao She was greatly motivated to join politics. He served successively as the president of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Artistic Circles, the vice-chairman of the National Writers Association, a member of the Northern China Administration Commitee, a member of the National Federation of Literary and Artistic Circles, a Representative in the First and Second Beijing People's Congress, a Presidium Member of the First, Second and Third National Political Consultative Conference.