Lao She (1899–1966), original name Shu Qingchun, courtesy name Sheyu, was a renowned novelist, man of letters, and a playwright. He was born into a Manchu family in Beijing. His mother endured hardships to raise him after his father died while fighting against the Eight-Power Allied Forces in the Boxer Rebellion.

Lao She’s family was poor. With financial assistance from noble Manchu families, he was able to enter a private school as a young child. In 1913, he passed the entrance examination and was admitted to the state-supported Peking Normal College (now Beijing Normal University), from where he graduated five years later. From 1918 to 1922, he first served as the principal of an elementary school, advised the Northern Capital Department of Education, and then taught at Nankai Middle School in Tianjin. In the fall of 1924, he was invited to be a lecturer at the School of Oriental Studies (now School of Oriental and African Studies) at London University. Finding himself in a conducive environment, he felt the urge to write. During his four-plus years in London, he completed three novels: Lao Zhang de zhexue (The philosophy of Old Zhang), Zhao Ziyue, and Er Ma (The two Mas). His lively writing style, be it merry laughter or angry denunciation, brought fresh air to Chinese literary circles. In 1929, Lao She returned to China. He taught at Qilu (Cheeloo) University in Jinan, and Shandong University in Qingdao (Tsing Tao). Later, he focused only on writing. During this period of time, he completed six novels, earning him the role as one of the founders of modern Chinese novel tradition. After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, he entered into the mighty turbulence of the War of Resistance Against Japan (1937–1945). During this time, he wrote seven plays, two novels, two collections of short stories, and one long poem. He dedicated these works to the War of Resistance effort. In March 1946, he was invited to lecture in the United States, but because of the outbreak of the Chinese civil war, he had to delay his return to China after his lectures. During his stay, he completed the third sequel to his novel Sishi tongtang (Four generations under one roof), and the Gushu yiren (Drum singer). In 1949, Lao She returned to China. Having come from a poor family, he understood the need of the populace and applied this to his writing. He started a career as a dramatist. In the next sixteen years, he wrote twenty-six plays and established himself as a major playwright of the New China. He was well-liked by his readers. However, misfortune stalked him. During the early stage of the Cultural Revolution, Lao She was treated as a representative of bourgeois intellectuals. He was criticized and physically abused. In August 1966, he could no longer tolerate such abusive treatment and committed suicide by drowning himself in a lake.

Lao She explored various literary styles all his life. He wrote novels, essays, plays, and poetry. Among all of his writings, Luotuo Xiangzi (Rickshaw boy or Camel Xiangzi) is the most famous work. The portrayal of mental states is exquisite, and the language is plain. The novel is highly regarded among vernacular writings, and brought him worldwide fame. Mao cheng ji (City of cats), which has been translated into many foreign languages, boldly reveals the deep-rooted ills of Chinese society. Its popularity is second only to Luotuo Xiangzi. The work is praised as one of the world’s three satirical masterpieces. Sishi tongtang, his longest novel with one million characters, covers the span of time from the Marco Polo Bridge Incident to the victory against the Japanese; it is a veritable encyclopedia of the War of Resistance Against Japan. Lao She is a skilled writer of tragic stories. Among his many tragic writings, the mother and daughter of the Yueya’er (Crescent moon) and the patrolling policeman of Wo zhe yibeizi (My whole life) are extremely powerful and the most tragic characters in all of his writings. His stage play Longxu gou (Dragon beard ditch) was a national success, and the Beijing municipal government awarded him the title of “People’s Artist.” Another play, Chaguan (Teahouse), is praised as an “outstanding work of East Asian theater.” In these classic works, we can see his lifetime pursuit as well as distinctive writing style. His writings are filled with satirical humor, criticism of the ugly side of human nature, cherished memories of Beijing, and the lively and colloquial language of the capital. Lao She was also a capable literary activist with 124 titles from various positions he held during his lifetime. His main contribution is that he united the writers of the literary world; his outstanding achievement is that he popularized literature.

Lao She was rehabilitated in 1978, setting off a wave of Lao She studies. His works were published every year and his plays were performed one after another. He received even higher praise than when he was alive. Fourteen of his works have provided scripts for movies and TV dramas. This makes him one of the writers with the most works adapted into film and television. His works are widely translated into foreign languages, and are well received overseas as well.