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Camel Xiangzi
This novel marks the peak of Lao She's career as a professional writer and registers a new approach to the representation of China in its absurdist situation. It can be read as an "epic" of modern China.
236 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1936
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About the author
Lao She
800 books124 followersLao She (Chinese: 老舍; pinyin: Lǎo Shě; Wade–Giles: Lao She; February 3, 1899 – August 24, 1966) was the pen name of Shu Qingchun (simplified Chinese: 舒庆春; traditional Chinese: 舒慶春; pinyin: Shū Qìngchūn; Manchu surname: Sumuru), a noted Chinese novelist and dramatist. He was one of the most significant figures of 20th-century Chinese literature, and best known for his novel Rickshaw Boy and the play Teahouse (茶館). He was of Manchu ethnicity. His works are known especially for their vivid use of the Beijing dialect.
(from Wikipedia)
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 271 reviews
September 20, 2019
“Social realism is the term used for work produced by painters, printmakers, photographers, writers and filmmakers that aims to draw attention to the real socio-political conditions of the working class as a means to critique of the power structures behind these conditions. While the movement's characteristics vary from nation to nation, it almost always utilizes a form of descriptive or critical realism.” (Wikipedia)
The Chinese classic Rickshaw Boy by Lao She is a book of social realism. As such, the story drawn is grim. One might as well know this before starting the book. I have read the version translated by Howard Goldblatt.
What is drawn is realistic. It depicts the plight of ordinary rickshaw men in Beijing of the 1920s and 1930s. While it is essentially a grim tale, it is not without moments of happiness and hope. The contrast between trying so very hard and then failing is what makes you care. I came to root with my whole heart for Xiangzi, the central protagonist. He is an orphan, simple, honest and hardworking. He is a loner and self-reliant. His sole dream is to own his own rickshaw; he is willing to work night and day to get it. He does not drink. He does not gamble. He does not smoke or take opium. He does not waste money in brothels. Every penny he manages to save is for the rickshaw he dreams to one day possess. It will give him freedom and independence.
Individualism and the value of self-reliance are themes of the book. Being an individualist as well as a proponent of democratic socialism, the book gave me food for thought.
Life is full of stumbling blocks. Again and again, Xiangzi is thwarted. Will he get off course? There are limits to what anyone can endure.
One might object to the length of the story, but the long and arduous life drawn feels real. Suffering over many years doesn’t pass in a minute. We are there beside him, and what is drawn is how living his life would have felt.
Reading books by authors of different nationalities, a reader begins to perceive similarities and differences. This I enjoy. There is here a simplicity and straightforwardness in the prose. This I like too. I have recognized this in the prose of other Chinese authors. There are lyrical lines of beauty, but they remain simple.
One learns also about the traditions and ways of a people. In one country, belching is rude, in another it is not. Women’s stance, their manner of voicing their opinions may be noted too. Are they brash, quiet or subservient and in which circumstances? How women deal with men to attain their goals varies from country to country. Fascinating to think about.
The audiobook is narrated by Jason Wong. It was fine, but nothing exceptional. He dramatizes more than I like. Every time he said “rickshaw” I thought instead he had said “ritual”. I figured this out after a while. Three stars for the narration.
I liked this book. I am glad to have read it.
The Chinese classic Rickshaw Boy by Lao She is a book of social realism. As such, the story drawn is grim. One might as well know this before starting the book. I have read the version translated by Howard Goldblatt.
What is drawn is realistic. It depicts the plight of ordinary rickshaw men in Beijing of the 1920s and 1930s. While it is essentially a grim tale, it is not without moments of happiness and hope. The contrast between trying so very hard and then failing is what makes you care. I came to root with my whole heart for Xiangzi, the central protagonist. He is an orphan, simple, honest and hardworking. He is a loner and self-reliant. His sole dream is to own his own rickshaw; he is willing to work night and day to get it. He does not drink. He does not gamble. He does not smoke or take opium. He does not waste money in brothels. Every penny he manages to save is for the rickshaw he dreams to one day possess. It will give him freedom and independence.
Individualism and the value of self-reliance are themes of the book. Being an individualist as well as a proponent of democratic socialism, the book gave me food for thought.
Life is full of stumbling blocks. Again and again, Xiangzi is thwarted. Will he get off course? There are limits to what anyone can endure.
One might object to the length of the story, but the long and arduous life drawn feels real. Suffering over many years doesn’t pass in a minute. We are there beside him, and what is drawn is how living his life would have felt.
Reading books by authors of different nationalities, a reader begins to perceive similarities and differences. This I enjoy. There is here a simplicity and straightforwardness in the prose. This I like too. I have recognized this in the prose of other Chinese authors. There are lyrical lines of beauty, but they remain simple.
One learns also about the traditions and ways of a people. In one country, belching is rude, in another it is not. Women’s stance, their manner of voicing their opinions may be noted too. Are they brash, quiet or subservient and in which circumstances? How women deal with men to attain their goals varies from country to country. Fascinating to think about.
The audiobook is narrated by Jason Wong. It was fine, but nothing exceptional. He dramatizes more than I like. Every time he said “rickshaw” I thought instead he had said “ritual”. I figured this out after a while. Three stars for the narration.
I liked this book. I am glad to have read it.
January 11, 2013
A classic of Chinese literature that protratis the simplest of quests: a rickshaw-pulling boy whose sole dream in life is as simple as owning hsi own cart. One could possibly attempt to minimize this classic as a portrait of Chinese economy at the beginning of last century. Or a gripping testimony of poverty. In China...
China: so far and yet so close. And that is precisely my point: what is the difference between a boy who works and wants to own his own way of living, versus a boy who sells his body, like I did, on the streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico, in order to pay his college tuition and become better? It may seem far-fetched, but this book really helped go through the ordeal of my hustling/prostitution days.
What happens int he ned is that the author ended up portraying an era and a country, much in the manner Puerto Rican writer Magali García Ramis did in her novel Felices Días, Tío Sergio. when an author is able to do that, the result is a timeless narrative that will transcends all boundaries of time and space. Rickshaw Boy is not about China. It's about Puerto Rico too. And the rest of third world. And Mississippi. And the whole Bible Belt.
China: so far and yet so close. And that is precisely my point: what is the difference between a boy who works and wants to own his own way of living, versus a boy who sells his body, like I did, on the streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico, in order to pay his college tuition and become better? It may seem far-fetched, but this book really helped go through the ordeal of my hustling/prostitution days.
What happens int he ned is that the author ended up portraying an era and a country, much in the manner Puerto Rican writer Magali García Ramis did in her novel Felices Días, Tío Sergio. when an author is able to do that, the result is a timeless narrative that will transcends all boundaries of time and space. Rickshaw Boy is not about China. It's about Puerto Rico too. And the rest of third world. And Mississippi. And the whole Bible Belt.
August 29, 2012
Having begun his literary career in his five-year stay in England and even modeling his portrayal of Beiping from Charles Dickens’ novels, Lao She achieves a literary feat in “Camel Xiangzi” where the Chinese novel features an authentic Chinese character which seems to be relatable even with Western readers as the prose has limited third person point of view and even Aritotelian unities, and where the main character, Xiangzi, is an embodiment of a very Western ideology, individualism. However, the social realism in the novel “Camel Xiangzi” is evident and palpable in the author’s gripping study of the lives of the poor, working class and the failure of individualism when juxtaposed with the Chinese culture and community. In the harsh words of the author himself in Chapter Thirteen, describing and foreshadowing the fate of the titular protagonist, “respectability, ambition, loyalty, and integrity had failed him. Why? Because he led a dog’s life.” While the novel defends and criticizes Xiangzi by bestowing upon him a most miserable life, the recipient of Lao She’s sharp attack is the society which reduced Xiangzi to the camel that he has become.
Without question, Xiangzi is among the most pitiful literary characters ever written. Despite being blessed with natural gifts and positive attributes, his youth and his strength, his determination and integrity, Xiangzi is defenseless as the society hurls him into a downward spiral path just because he is a member of the lowest class in his society, uneducated and alone, with no family or any permanent ties to another member of the community. If Xiangzi were a character in a Western work of fiction, more specifically American literature, he would probably be viewed as an outcast or unwilling hero who will eventually face challenges and become master of his own fate, triumphing over enemies or personal crises, and eventually, probably, dying or transcending his self in the end, inspiring other people. Unfortunately, Xiangzi is a Chinese character. Lao She explained at one part of the novel that Xiangzi’s ill-gotten luck is due to his being in the wrong place and at the wrong time. This is definitely the tragedy that doomed Xiangzi’s fate. Being an individualist, a man who works hard to get money for himself, the way his goal has always been directed towards himself, whether he’s saving up for a new rickshaw or avoiding having anything to do with his abominable wife Huniu, Xiangzi’s self-serving ways are frowned upon by the Chinese society who regards communal or social welfare as the most important goal which every person or Chinese citizen should strive for. His motivations, which eventually became his attachments:the first rickshaw that he bought, the money he obtained from selling the camels, his affection for Fuzi and admiration for Mr. Cao: all of these, while giving him a sense of security, led him to his downfall. Lao She’s sadistic plots might seem too harsh for some readers who might cry foul over his unmerciful plot devices, such as Xiangzi’s encounter with the spy hunting Mr Cao or his unfortunate wedding with Huniu, but these events all support the message that the author tries to impress upon the readers: the likes of Xiangzi can never succeed in a Chinese community because he is the antithesis of Confucian philosophy and values. But this does not necessarily mean the Lao She promotes Taoism either: otherwise why would Xiangzi of the last few chapters, while having abandoned everything and all the rules of the society, can still be seen as a tragic figure who is reduced to nothing more than an animal?
Arguably, the success of Xiangzi, though not very evident, is his unwavering spirit that just lives on. In Chapter Twenty-Two, Lao She writes, “The soldiers who’d seized his rickshaw; Mrs. Yang, who’d withheld food from her servants; Huniu, who’d deceived and oppressed him; Fourth Master, who’d been contemptuous of him; Detective Sun, who’d swindled him out of his money; Granny Chen, who’d made a fool of him; Mrs. Xia, who’d tried to seduce him... They would die, all of them, while faithful, honest Xiangzi would live on forever!” While Xiangzi is arguably the victor in this strange tale of a man’s downfall, the cause of his undoing lies heavily on the society. The discrimination is obviously seen in the first chapter where the discussion of the classes of rickshaw pullers were categorized; this means that even in the lowest rungs of the society, people still marginalize other people. When Fourth Master celebrates his birthday and entertains the idea how repulsive it would be to have Xiangzi as a foster son or a son-in-law because of his low class, he does so because the society has dictated upon him that a man can be judged according to his class. In Xiangzi’s society, it is unfortunate that the social class is a more reliable basis in judging another person than his natural strengths, talents and abilities. And while the Taoist way of life can also be seen as the better alternative, the society frowns upon these rebels and regards the Taoist proponents as outcasts and degenerates as also seen in the character of Ruan Ming and the “respectable, ambitious, self-serving, individualistic, robust, and mighty Xiangzi” who has become a “degenerate, selfish, and hapless product of a sick society.”
Perhaps, this is one of Lao She’s thrusts in writing the novel: by exposing how the so-called traditional virtues or values of the Chinese, both Confucian and Taoist, can still contribute to the degradation of human integrity through the piteous events that happened in Xiangzi’s life, the Chinese or perhaps any society should continuously question the relevance of these so-called time-tested, rich, cultural social virtues and traditions in the advancing modern world. Do these values and traditions still make us more human or do they reduce us to nothing more than emotionless, unthinking beasts?
Without question, Xiangzi is among the most pitiful literary characters ever written. Despite being blessed with natural gifts and positive attributes, his youth and his strength, his determination and integrity, Xiangzi is defenseless as the society hurls him into a downward spiral path just because he is a member of the lowest class in his society, uneducated and alone, with no family or any permanent ties to another member of the community. If Xiangzi were a character in a Western work of fiction, more specifically American literature, he would probably be viewed as an outcast or unwilling hero who will eventually face challenges and become master of his own fate, triumphing over enemies or personal crises, and eventually, probably, dying or transcending his self in the end, inspiring other people. Unfortunately, Xiangzi is a Chinese character. Lao She explained at one part of the novel that Xiangzi’s ill-gotten luck is due to his being in the wrong place and at the wrong time. This is definitely the tragedy that doomed Xiangzi’s fate. Being an individualist, a man who works hard to get money for himself, the way his goal has always been directed towards himself, whether he’s saving up for a new rickshaw or avoiding having anything to do with his abominable wife Huniu, Xiangzi’s self-serving ways are frowned upon by the Chinese society who regards communal or social welfare as the most important goal which every person or Chinese citizen should strive for. His motivations, which eventually became his attachments:the first rickshaw that he bought, the money he obtained from selling the camels, his affection for Fuzi and admiration for Mr. Cao: all of these, while giving him a sense of security, led him to his downfall. Lao She’s sadistic plots might seem too harsh for some readers who might cry foul over his unmerciful plot devices, such as Xiangzi’s encounter with the spy hunting Mr Cao or his unfortunate wedding with Huniu, but these events all support the message that the author tries to impress upon the readers: the likes of Xiangzi can never succeed in a Chinese community because he is the antithesis of Confucian philosophy and values. But this does not necessarily mean the Lao She promotes Taoism either: otherwise why would Xiangzi of the last few chapters, while having abandoned everything and all the rules of the society, can still be seen as a tragic figure who is reduced to nothing more than an animal?
Arguably, the success of Xiangzi, though not very evident, is his unwavering spirit that just lives on. In Chapter Twenty-Two, Lao She writes, “The soldiers who’d seized his rickshaw; Mrs. Yang, who’d withheld food from her servants; Huniu, who’d deceived and oppressed him; Fourth Master, who’d been contemptuous of him; Detective Sun, who’d swindled him out of his money; Granny Chen, who’d made a fool of him; Mrs. Xia, who’d tried to seduce him... They would die, all of them, while faithful, honest Xiangzi would live on forever!” While Xiangzi is arguably the victor in this strange tale of a man’s downfall, the cause of his undoing lies heavily on the society. The discrimination is obviously seen in the first chapter where the discussion of the classes of rickshaw pullers were categorized; this means that even in the lowest rungs of the society, people still marginalize other people. When Fourth Master celebrates his birthday and entertains the idea how repulsive it would be to have Xiangzi as a foster son or a son-in-law because of his low class, he does so because the society has dictated upon him that a man can be judged according to his class. In Xiangzi’s society, it is unfortunate that the social class is a more reliable basis in judging another person than his natural strengths, talents and abilities. And while the Taoist way of life can also be seen as the better alternative, the society frowns upon these rebels and regards the Taoist proponents as outcasts and degenerates as also seen in the character of Ruan Ming and the “respectable, ambitious, self-serving, individualistic, robust, and mighty Xiangzi” who has become a “degenerate, selfish, and hapless product of a sick society.”
Perhaps, this is one of Lao She’s thrusts in writing the novel: by exposing how the so-called traditional virtues or values of the Chinese, both Confucian and Taoist, can still contribute to the degradation of human integrity through the piteous events that happened in Xiangzi’s life, the Chinese or perhaps any society should continuously question the relevance of these so-called time-tested, rich, cultural social virtues and traditions in the advancing modern world. Do these values and traditions still make us more human or do they reduce us to nothing more than emotionless, unthinking beasts?
December 18, 2008
The Grapes of Wrath
set in Beijing, but without the stratospheric commentary from Steinbeck's godlike narrator.
Rickshaw
is, as the forward points out, the social realist work the Socialists of the 1930s wanted to write but never did. It's a stark and muscular read as well as a great introduction to Chinese culture and literature of the Republic between the two world wars. (If I were to teach economics, I'd have my class read this and
Mildred Pierce
as clearheaded rebuttals to the dismal science.) Be sure to pick up this translation and not the earlier one which changes the ending to something more palatable for us running dog capitalists.
May 5, 2024
Lao She was brutalised during the Cultural Revolution, leading to him walking into a nearby lake and drowning himself. The moral of this classic story is that individualism and the pursuit of money for its own sake leads to moral, physical and economic decay.
It was like pouring money into a big sieve with small holes: as the money sifts down, little by little, less gets through. At the same time, the doctrine also sifts down through the sieve, but there is always as much at the top as there is at the bottom, because a doctrine, unlike money, is non physical and shapeless; it can slip through no matter how small the holes.
While they all existed in hell, they were on different levels. The importance of standing together never occurred to them, as each went his own way, blinded by his hopes and struggles.
Xiangzi is a Northern country boy who comes to Beiping to make a living as a rickshaw driver. His dream is to own his own rickshaw one day, perhaps more than one, so that he can have a comfortable life with a place to live and enough to eat. He is ambitious but he is also happy, hardworking, clean and honest. Life is not good to him, however. Every time he takes a step forward, he’s hit with a disaster that takes him two steps back. I became totally invested in this very likeable character’s wellbeing and was heartbroken for him every time life turned against him.
The culture, cityscape and weather of Beijing (then Beiping) are strong characters also and the prose is often wonderful. I love this description of the wind. It feels like a living being.
The wind bent roadside trees, shredded canvas shop signs, ripped handbills from the walls, and blotted out the sun; it sang, it roared, it howled, it resounded, and then it abruptly straightened out and stormed ahead like a terrifying spectre, rending heaven and earth. Then, without warning, it turned tumultuous, churning in all directions, like an evil spirit running amok. All at once it gusted from side to side, sweeping up everything in its path: tearing branches from trees, lifting tiles from roofs, and severing electric wires.
It surprises me that this was considered suitable reading in Chinese schools in the 1980s as some of the subjects, e.g. prostitution, venereal disease, and the language used would not be considered appropriate in UK schools and certainly not in US schools. It’s possible that it was an edited version, of course. Howard Goldblatt’s translation reads very well and it was easy to forget English was not its original language. An easy 5 stars for me as I couldn’t put it down and was emotionally invested throughout.
It was like pouring money into a big sieve with small holes: as the money sifts down, little by little, less gets through. At the same time, the doctrine also sifts down through the sieve, but there is always as much at the top as there is at the bottom, because a doctrine, unlike money, is non physical and shapeless; it can slip through no matter how small the holes.
While they all existed in hell, they were on different levels. The importance of standing together never occurred to them, as each went his own way, blinded by his hopes and struggles.
Xiangzi is a Northern country boy who comes to Beiping to make a living as a rickshaw driver. His dream is to own his own rickshaw one day, perhaps more than one, so that he can have a comfortable life with a place to live and enough to eat. He is ambitious but he is also happy, hardworking, clean and honest. Life is not good to him, however. Every time he takes a step forward, he’s hit with a disaster that takes him two steps back. I became totally invested in this very likeable character’s wellbeing and was heartbroken for him every time life turned against him.
The culture, cityscape and weather of Beijing (then Beiping) are strong characters also and the prose is often wonderful. I love this description of the wind. It feels like a living being.
The wind bent roadside trees, shredded canvas shop signs, ripped handbills from the walls, and blotted out the sun; it sang, it roared, it howled, it resounded, and then it abruptly straightened out and stormed ahead like a terrifying spectre, rending heaven and earth. Then, without warning, it turned tumultuous, churning in all directions, like an evil spirit running amok. All at once it gusted from side to side, sweeping up everything in its path: tearing branches from trees, lifting tiles from roofs, and severing electric wires.
It surprises me that this was considered suitable reading in Chinese schools in the 1980s as some of the subjects, e.g. prostitution, venereal disease, and the language used would not be considered appropriate in UK schools and certainly not in US schools. It’s possible that it was an edited version, of course. Howard Goldblatt’s translation reads very well and it was easy to forget English was not its original language. An easy 5 stars for me as I couldn’t put it down and was emotionally invested throughout.
January 13, 2018
So tragic and moving. A searing social critique of conditions during China's chaotic war and revolutionary years. I don't care if people accuse it of being deliberately manipulative or not, this was and is a memorable read for me. It is not hard to imagine that millions faced even worse than this during those tumultuous times.
Final rating: 4.5*
Note: This is the latest edition translated by Howard Goldblatt, who did such an excellent job with Mo Yan's 'Sandalwood Death'. There were at least two previous translations before this, which were reportedly butchered to suit Western tastes.
Final rating: 4.5*
Note: This is the latest edition translated by Howard Goldblatt, who did such an excellent job with Mo Yan's 'Sandalwood Death'. There were at least two previous translations before this, which were reportedly butchered to suit Western tastes.
Read
May 3, 2023When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Our protagonist Xiangzi tried, he really really tried.
Until he realizes that it’s not even lemons that he’s given.
He’s hit with storms of hailstones.
———————————————————————-
When I first read this classic of Chinese literature by Lao She, I was in my early teen, starry-eyed with dreams of the bright future ahead of me and blithely ignorant of the woes of life.
I thought Lao She was an extremely gifted writer; I thought the Beijing vernacular he wrote the book with was a joy to read; and I thought it was a really sad story, one that I didn’t particularly care for.
There was no GR back then.
I would have given it a solid three star.
Now in my thirties, having had my own share of lemons that I am still struggling to make lemonade with, having witnessed the struggles of people who I am close to, and having had a more intimate knowledge of how capricious and downright awful this thing called “life” can sometimes be, re-reading the book hits on a whole different level.
Xiangzi has nothing.
No family, no money and no connection.
What he does have is a healthy body and the ability to work and he is proud of that.
He works as a rickshaw boy, it’s a hard trade that involves a lot of hard labour but Xiangzi is optimistic.
As long as he works hard, he believes, he will one day save up enough to buy his own richshaw. That is his dream, his ultimate goal, the thing that would make everything alright.
However, it’s never that easy with life. Especially in China in the 1920s when warlords ruled and extremely poverty was the norm for the working class.
The first rickshaw he manages to finally buy is confiscated by warlord soldiers; he then gets extorted by a secret police agent and loses the money he has saved for another rickshaw; he is tricked into marrying a woman, Huniu, who he loathes and fears, just when Huniu gets pregnant and he is beginning to see the joy of becoming a father, Huniu dies from a difficult childbirth; he later finds a purpose in life in a kind meek girl Fuzi, but having suffered enough herself Fuzi committed suicide.
Fuzi’s death is the last straw that pushes Xiangzi into a life without any dignity or hope. He cheats and lies and degenerates into the kind of people who he despised.
The one question that’s central to the book is :
Can one remain hopeful and maintain dignity in face of an environment so hostile and ruthless that it seems that the entire universe is plotting against you?
Xiangzi ( Lao She)’s answer seems to be “ No”.
It seems to be so very bleak, so what is the point in reading this book now?
I think it is still worth reading as it is a book that anyone who has struggled through poverty can resonate with, and more importantly I think it’s a book that makes the readers understand poverty and feel sympathy.
When you are poor, there is so little that’s in your control.
When the readers root for Xiangzi, they might feel the need to extend their sympathy to all the people in real life who simply want to make an honest living yet struggle to make ends meet.
Our protagonist Xiangzi tried, he really really tried.
Until he realizes that it’s not even lemons that he’s given.
He’s hit with storms of hailstones.
———————————————————————-
When I first read this classic of Chinese literature by Lao She, I was in my early teen, starry-eyed with dreams of the bright future ahead of me and blithely ignorant of the woes of life.
I thought Lao She was an extremely gifted writer; I thought the Beijing vernacular he wrote the book with was a joy to read; and I thought it was a really sad story, one that I didn’t particularly care for.
There was no GR back then.
I would have given it a solid three star.
Now in my thirties, having had my own share of lemons that I am still struggling to make lemonade with, having witnessed the struggles of people who I am close to, and having had a more intimate knowledge of how capricious and downright awful this thing called “life” can sometimes be, re-reading the book hits on a whole different level.
Xiangzi has nothing.
No family, no money and no connection.
What he does have is a healthy body and the ability to work and he is proud of that.
He works as a rickshaw boy, it’s a hard trade that involves a lot of hard labour but Xiangzi is optimistic.
As long as he works hard, he believes, he will one day save up enough to buy his own richshaw. That is his dream, his ultimate goal, the thing that would make everything alright.
However, it’s never that easy with life. Especially in China in the 1920s when warlords ruled and extremely poverty was the norm for the working class.
The first rickshaw he manages to finally buy is confiscated by warlord soldiers; he then gets extorted by a secret police agent and loses the money he has saved for another rickshaw; he is tricked into marrying a woman, Huniu, who he loathes and fears, just when Huniu gets pregnant and he is beginning to see the joy of becoming a father, Huniu dies from a difficult childbirth; he later finds a purpose in life in a kind meek girl Fuzi, but having suffered enough herself Fuzi committed suicide.
Fuzi’s death is the last straw that pushes Xiangzi into a life without any dignity or hope. He cheats and lies and degenerates into the kind of people who he despised.
The one question that’s central to the book is :
Can one remain hopeful and maintain dignity in face of an environment so hostile and ruthless that it seems that the entire universe is plotting against you?
Xiangzi ( Lao She)’s answer seems to be “ No”.
It seems to be so very bleak, so what is the point in reading this book now?
I think it is still worth reading as it is a book that anyone who has struggled through poverty can resonate with, and more importantly I think it’s a book that makes the readers understand poverty and feel sympathy.
When you are poor, there is so little that’s in your control.
When the readers root for Xiangzi, they might feel the need to extend their sympathy to all the people in real life who simply want to make an honest living yet struggle to make ends meet.
August 10, 2014
Throughout this reading, The Jungle kept cropping up in my mind. This is the Chinese equivalent but it's so much more, as well. I was not fond of The Jungle but Rickshaw Boy tells the story from a Communist & Chinese point of view that shows the sorrow and futility of individualism during those times.
The concept of living for the society, the whole is ever present in this book. Xiangzi is an individualist. He wants to work honestly and hard and for himself. He wants nothing more than to buy his own rickshaw so that he is self-sustainable. He works hard, he saves, he doesn't fraternize with others, etc. He's a loner. Chinese society of the 30s seems to frown upon these traits and Xiangzi's attempts to better himself are thwarted again and again. Lao She seems to side with his society's idea of success: work for the community, with the workers, stay in your place, etc.
Although Xiangzi cannot live against society, this is still a good, enjoyable read. This is an interesting story set against 1930s Communist society and tells a story of the times. I will look into other books by Lao She.
The concept of living for the society, the whole is ever present in this book. Xiangzi is an individualist. He wants to work honestly and hard and for himself. He wants nothing more than to buy his own rickshaw so that he is self-sustainable. He works hard, he saves, he doesn't fraternize with others, etc. He's a loner. Chinese society of the 30s seems to frown upon these traits and Xiangzi's attempts to better himself are thwarted again and again. Lao She seems to side with his society's idea of success: work for the community, with the workers, stay in your place, etc.
Although Xiangzi cannot live against society, this is still a good, enjoyable read. This is an interesting story set against 1930s Communist society and tells a story of the times. I will look into other books by Lao She.
May 5, 2016
I first encountered the world of rickshaw pullers when I read The City of Joy. "Camel" Xiangzi, like the main character in that book, is one of China's poorest: an illiterate orphan, he goes to Beiping seeking work, but finds that heavy labour as a coolie is not for him. Having no other saleable skills, he becomes a rickshaw puller. His entire ambition in life is to own a rickshaw--if not two.
At first he is single-minded, depriving himself of treats and rest in his drive to achieve that goal. He sees himself as the original Hard-Luck Harry; every time he gets within striking distance, something goes wrong and he's back where he started. And yet for a large part of the novel, he (like many people) doesn't seem to recognise his lucky breaks when they come by: there always seems to be someone to provide an option, a chance--and Camel just goes with the flow. Eventually, though, his self-centredness catches up with him, and he misses a golden opportunity.
Political events are mentioned almost in passing, but inform the text to a great degree. I usually leave Introductions, Prologues and Forewords until after I've read the text, as they tend to be full of spoilers (or gratuitous self-aggrandizement for the person writing them), but in this case I'm glad I read it first. The author's disillusionment with his own life choices is reflected in the text, but in a highly readable way. The ending was a total surprise, and I wasn't sure it fit, but it did make sense in the course of the character's transformation, a sort of Pilgrim's Progress in reverse.
Not my usual sort of read, but I feel I got a lot out of it. Thanks to my Goodreads pals who put me onto this one. Even today, life for the poorest of the poor is not a pretty thing; not even in "first world" countries. And yes, there are many people there too who are just scraping by--not all of them are "lazy", or "choose" destitution, either.
Side note: I've been re-reading The Children of Sánchez, and Camel reminded me first of Roberto, the dreamer, and later of self-serving, self-pitying Manuel. But that's just by the way.
At first he is single-minded, depriving himself of treats and rest in his drive to achieve that goal. He sees himself as the original Hard-Luck Harry; every time he gets within striking distance, something goes wrong and he's back where he started. And yet for a large part of the novel, he (like many people) doesn't seem to recognise his lucky breaks when they come by: there always seems to be someone to provide an option, a chance--and Camel just goes with the flow. Eventually, though, his self-centredness catches up with him, and he misses a golden opportunity.
Political events are mentioned almost in passing, but inform the text to a great degree. I usually leave Introductions, Prologues and Forewords until after I've read the text, as they tend to be full of spoilers (or gratuitous self-aggrandizement for the person writing them), but in this case I'm glad I read it first. The author's disillusionment with his own life choices is reflected in the text, but in a highly readable way. The ending was a total surprise, and I wasn't sure it fit, but it did make sense in the course of the character's transformation, a sort of Pilgrim's Progress in reverse.
Not my usual sort of read, but I feel I got a lot out of it. Thanks to my Goodreads pals who put me onto this one. Even today, life for the poorest of the poor is not a pretty thing; not even in "first world" countries. And yes, there are many people there too who are just scraping by--not all of them are "lazy", or "choose" destitution, either.
Side note: I've been re-reading The Children of Sánchez, and Camel reminded me first of Roberto, the dreamer, and later of self-serving, self-pitying Manuel. But that's just by the way.
February 23, 2019
I think this is a valuable piece of social history & literature because it manages to tell a timeless beautiful story precious for its artistic quality but also to paint us a picture of working-class China at the beginning of the 20th century.
After reading it, I understood a lot more about living arrangements, work relations and everyday life for the poor and precarious in that particular moment of China's history. The narrative also creates a pretty slow build up of how a person can turn to good to bad, because of the roughness of his or her environment. After seeing his efforts to make something of himself and to stay honest just blow to pieces because of the unfairness of the slums, Xiangzi is beaten and decides that striving to be good simply leads nowhere. In a way, although the subject is pretty tragic, the book is also comical at many points in the plot development.
I particularly liked the way the author relates Xiangzi's thoughts, in a brilliant portrayal of how a simple boy from the countryside (or someone not particularly witty or self-aware) must probably think like. The way he contradicts himself and changes his opinions from one moment to the next is delicious. But, of course, beyond the humorous facade lies something sadder: it's the precariousness of his living conditions that impose the same kind of fleetness on his thoughts and decisions.
After reading it, I understood a lot more about living arrangements, work relations and everyday life for the poor and precarious in that particular moment of China's history. The narrative also creates a pretty slow build up of how a person can turn to good to bad, because of the roughness of his or her environment. After seeing his efforts to make something of himself and to stay honest just blow to pieces because of the unfairness of the slums, Xiangzi is beaten and decides that striving to be good simply leads nowhere. In a way, although the subject is pretty tragic, the book is also comical at many points in the plot development.
I particularly liked the way the author relates Xiangzi's thoughts, in a brilliant portrayal of how a simple boy from the countryside (or someone not particularly witty or self-aware) must probably think like. The way he contradicts himself and changes his opinions from one moment to the next is delicious. But, of course, beyond the humorous facade lies something sadder: it's the precariousness of his living conditions that impose the same kind of fleetness on his thoughts and decisions.
March 8, 2018
1.25
Eh.
Eh.
June 22, 2020
দুঃখ-কষ্ট, কষ্ট-দুঃখ আনন্দ শুধু কল্পনায় পাওয়া।
November 27, 2023
“De regen komt neer op de rijken evengoed als op de armen, op de fatsoenlijken evengoed als op de niet fatsoenlijken. Maar de rechtvaardigheid van de regen is maar schijn, omdat zij neerkomt op een wereld die niet rechtvaardig is.”
April 12, 2020
"If even a fly can enjoy life in a privy, a grown man like him ought to be able to do at least as well."
More like, I think three and a half stars. Lao's work is classic in China in the same way Dickens was in his own time for his depictions of the indignant and basically screwed (economically). Here, we get a peek into the life of the titular rickshaw driver, a hard, thankless job endured by a young man who just wants to make good in life, but who is thwarted at every time by the exigencies and circumstances of his shitty, poverty-stricken life. As can be guessed, this is some bleak stuff here. Xiangzi is basically doomed and you know it, like so many nameless folks. The litany of disasters are sometimes unsettling, sometimes comically sad, but, heck, that's what you get for chasing that dream of money.
The message here comes out only in the last quarter, the idea that the individual striving to justify his own worth is doomed to failure because unless you're already rich, it's hard to make it on your own. Or as Lao poignantly puts it at one point:
"Someone who strives only for himself knows how to destroy himself."
More like, I think three and a half stars. Lao's work is classic in China in the same way Dickens was in his own time for his depictions of the indignant and basically screwed (economically). Here, we get a peek into the life of the titular rickshaw driver, a hard, thankless job endured by a young man who just wants to make good in life, but who is thwarted at every time by the exigencies and circumstances of his shitty, poverty-stricken life. As can be guessed, this is some bleak stuff here. Xiangzi is basically doomed and you know it, like so many nameless folks. The litany of disasters are sometimes unsettling, sometimes comically sad, but, heck, that's what you get for chasing that dream of money.
The message here comes out only in the last quarter, the idea that the individual striving to justify his own worth is doomed to failure because unless you're already rich, it's hard to make it on your own. Or as Lao poignantly puts it at one point:
"Someone who strives only for himself knows how to destroy himself."
February 12, 2017
A surprisingly enjoyable classic. It was interesting to read of what China must have been like so long ago and how rickshaw boys made a living.
I'm not sure some of the parts I found funny were meant to be, or if my American sense of humor found amusement in it, but some parts of the book was just downright hilarious!
I even liked the ending!
I expected something far more bitter than the happy, so I was pleasantly surprised.
I'm not sure some of the parts I found funny were meant to be, or if my American sense of humor found amusement in it, but some parts of the book was just downright hilarious!
I even liked the ending!
I expected something far more bitter than the happy, so I was pleasantly surprised.
January 27, 2018
O Garoto do Riquixá é um romance do autor chinês Lao She (pseudônimo de Shu Qingchun), publicado originalmente em 1937. No Brasil, a obra foi publicada pela editora Estação Liberdade em 2017.
O livro nos traz a história de Xiangzi, um humilde, honesto e ingênuo puxador de riquixá que sai do campo para tentar a vida na cidade de Beijing durante as décadas de 20 e 30.
Otimista e determinado, Xiangzi possui um único sonho: conseguir economizar alguns yuans (dinheiro chinês) para comprar o seu próprio riquixá, mesmo que para isso tenha que trabalhar dia e noite sem descanso.
Embora Xiangzi seja um dos melhores em sua profissão, uma série de complicações surge ao longo de sua vida, desiludindo-o aos poucos e mostrando-lhe que às vezes não basta ser bom e correto para ter sorte e alcançar seus sonhos.
A obra retrata com nitidez as aspirações, frustações e decadência do homem. A degradação de Xiangzi é gradual, à medida que sofre com as intempéries da vida. Ao mesmo tempo, o livro vai pincelando histórias de personagens secundários que, somando-se às tragédias vividas pelo personagem principal, formam um quadro de uma China miserável.
As descrições extremamente detalhadas da obra são um ponto forte. É quase possível ver as paisagens, ruas e templos diante dos seus olhos, bem como sentir os aromas das comidas e bebidas asiáticas.
O Garoto do Riquixá não é uma história bela ou de superação, mas, sim, uma história sobre pobreza extrema e sobrevivência. É um daqueles livros que te fará pensar durante horas sobre as atitudes humanas.
Na minha experiência, O Garoto do Riquixá fugiu completamente do que eu estou acostumada a ler, mas conseguiu prender a minha atenção e me fez torcer até o fim por Xiangzi.
Recomendo a leitura, principalmente para aqueles que gostam de conhecer obras literárias do mundo inteiro. Um viva à literatura asiática!
O livro nos traz a história de Xiangzi, um humilde, honesto e ingênuo puxador de riquixá que sai do campo para tentar a vida na cidade de Beijing durante as décadas de 20 e 30.
Otimista e determinado, Xiangzi possui um único sonho: conseguir economizar alguns yuans (dinheiro chinês) para comprar o seu próprio riquixá, mesmo que para isso tenha que trabalhar dia e noite sem descanso.
Embora Xiangzi seja um dos melhores em sua profissão, uma série de complicações surge ao longo de sua vida, desiludindo-o aos poucos e mostrando-lhe que às vezes não basta ser bom e correto para ter sorte e alcançar seus sonhos.
A obra retrata com nitidez as aspirações, frustações e decadência do homem. A degradação de Xiangzi é gradual, à medida que sofre com as intempéries da vida. Ao mesmo tempo, o livro vai pincelando histórias de personagens secundários que, somando-se às tragédias vividas pelo personagem principal, formam um quadro de uma China miserável.
As descrições extremamente detalhadas da obra são um ponto forte. É quase possível ver as paisagens, ruas e templos diante dos seus olhos, bem como sentir os aromas das comidas e bebidas asiáticas.
O Garoto do Riquixá não é uma história bela ou de superação, mas, sim, uma história sobre pobreza extrema e sobrevivência. É um daqueles livros que te fará pensar durante horas sobre as atitudes humanas.
Na minha experiência, O Garoto do Riquixá fugiu completamente do que eu estou acostumada a ler, mas conseguiu prender a minha atenção e me fez torcer até o fim por Xiangzi.
Recomendo a leitura, principalmente para aqueles que gostam de conhecer obras literárias do mundo inteiro. Um viva à literatura asiática!
March 19, 2024
Eu ia escrever mais coisa além de "É O Cortiço só que chinês" mas esse é um bom resumo do livro. A trajetória do protagonista é triste de acompanhar porque sempre vem um revés, mas não significa que é um livro ruim. Só queria menos paragrafões enormes, entendo que tem que haver contextualização, mas eu fiquei com um pouco de preguiça no começo vendo os blocões de texto. Segui em frente mais por causa da curiosidade em ler um clássico chinês, e a trama acabou me pegando, mas fica o aviso para os odiadores de parágrafos.
October 8, 2013
"The life of a poor man…was like the pit of a date, pointed on both ends and round in the middle. You're lucky to get through childhood without dying of hunger, and can hardly avoid starving to death when you're old. Only during your middle years, when you're strong and unafraid of either hunger or hard work, can you live like a human being."
This is the essence of Lao She's Chinese classic novel Rickshaw Boy. Xiangzi is an impoverished rickshaw puller in his twenties who is ambitious enough to make sacrifices and save up to improve his lot in life, only to have his hopes and dreams dashed over and over again. The moment things are going right for Xiangzi, another misadventure befalls him. Despite this endless tragedy, Lao She's story is comical, if painfully so. The sheer unfairness of the ups and downs and the matter-of-fact tone of the writing force the reader to laugh with a grimace.
The city of Beiping (now known as Beijing) plays a critical role in the book. As a rickshaw man, Xiangzi knows every nook and cranny. Despite the poverty and lack of opportunity he faces, Xiangzi never has a negative thought about his city. In fact, "Xiangzi had but one friend: this ancient city." He can't imagine ever leaving it, even if leaving might improve his situation. Beiping is home for Xiangzi in the fullest sense of the word.
Ultimately, Rickshaw Boy is the story of the hopelessness that results from extreme poverty. Without the slightest chance to ever live comfortably, Lao She makes clear that a rickshaw man has little reason to work any harder than he must to survive the day: "Sloth is the natural result of unrewarded hard work among the poor, reason enough for them to be prickly." He also has little reason to even think about the future. After all, any gains he makes will be taken from him: "Experience had taught him that tomorrow was but an extension of today, a continuation of the current wrongs and abuses."
Rickshaw Boy is a quick and fairly easy read, with a very overt message. What I enjoyed most about it reading it was the fact that it took me well outside the usual realm of literary classics from America and Great Britain. Rickshaw Boy is a Chinese story and a successful portal into 1930s China. But it’s also a universal story of the hopelessness that extreme economic disparity breeds; this is a very relevant message in our world today.
This is the essence of Lao She's Chinese classic novel Rickshaw Boy. Xiangzi is an impoverished rickshaw puller in his twenties who is ambitious enough to make sacrifices and save up to improve his lot in life, only to have his hopes and dreams dashed over and over again. The moment things are going right for Xiangzi, another misadventure befalls him. Despite this endless tragedy, Lao She's story is comical, if painfully so. The sheer unfairness of the ups and downs and the matter-of-fact tone of the writing force the reader to laugh with a grimace.
The city of Beiping (now known as Beijing) plays a critical role in the book. As a rickshaw man, Xiangzi knows every nook and cranny. Despite the poverty and lack of opportunity he faces, Xiangzi never has a negative thought about his city. In fact, "Xiangzi had but one friend: this ancient city." He can't imagine ever leaving it, even if leaving might improve his situation. Beiping is home for Xiangzi in the fullest sense of the word.
Ultimately, Rickshaw Boy is the story of the hopelessness that results from extreme poverty. Without the slightest chance to ever live comfortably, Lao She makes clear that a rickshaw man has little reason to work any harder than he must to survive the day: "Sloth is the natural result of unrewarded hard work among the poor, reason enough for them to be prickly." He also has little reason to even think about the future. After all, any gains he makes will be taken from him: "Experience had taught him that tomorrow was but an extension of today, a continuation of the current wrongs and abuses."
Rickshaw Boy is a quick and fairly easy read, with a very overt message. What I enjoyed most about it reading it was the fact that it took me well outside the usual realm of literary classics from America and Great Britain. Rickshaw Boy is a Chinese story and a successful portal into 1930s China. But it’s also a universal story of the hopelessness that extreme economic disparity breeds; this is a very relevant message in our world today.
February 5, 2020
tirare la carretta, cinese edition
Xiangzi, un giovane campagnolo vive a Pechino agli inizi degli anni trenta, lavora come portatore di un risciò a noleggio e il suo desiderio è comprarne uno per lavorare in proprio, per questo non si risparmia e lavora ogni giorno mettendo da parte tutti i suoi guadagni, quando finalmente riesce a comprarne uno ecco che i soldati glielo requisiscono e ne fanno il loro schiavo, lui riesce a scappare ma deve poi ricominciare da capo, seguiamo quindi tutte le sue disavventure e i suoi disperati tentativi di tirarsi fuori dalla misera...
dolorosa parabola del destino della povera gente in Cina agli albori di quella che sarebbe poi stata la guerra cino giapponese, con tutto il carico di morte e devastazione che ne seguirà, questo racconto di un umile portatore di risciò contiene tutti i riferimenti alla filosofia di vita di un intero popolo
Xiangzi è il simbolo di un'intera nazione composta da povera gente che cerca di elevarsi, e per questo spesso viene schiacciata da chi ha solo un grano di riso in più, i tentativi sono tutti destinati a fallire e anche quando si riesce il prezzo da pagare sarà sempre troppo alto, come è stato per il suo autore, un letterato di fama mondiale tradito dal suo paese, a cui era ritornato pieno di fiducia e di speranza...
Xiangzi, un giovane campagnolo vive a Pechino agli inizi degli anni trenta, lavora come portatore di un risciò a noleggio e il suo desiderio è comprarne uno per lavorare in proprio, per questo non si risparmia e lavora ogni giorno mettendo da parte tutti i suoi guadagni, quando finalmente riesce a comprarne uno ecco che i soldati glielo requisiscono e ne fanno il loro schiavo, lui riesce a scappare ma deve poi ricominciare da capo, seguiamo quindi tutte le sue disavventure e i suoi disperati tentativi di tirarsi fuori dalla misera...
dolorosa parabola del destino della povera gente in Cina agli albori di quella che sarebbe poi stata la guerra cino giapponese, con tutto il carico di morte e devastazione che ne seguirà, questo racconto di un umile portatore di risciò contiene tutti i riferimenti alla filosofia di vita di un intero popolo
Xiangzi è il simbolo di un'intera nazione composta da povera gente che cerca di elevarsi, e per questo spesso viene schiacciata da chi ha solo un grano di riso in più, i tentativi sono tutti destinati a fallire e anche quando si riesce il prezzo da pagare sarà sempre troppo alto, come è stato per il suo autore, un letterato di fama mondiale tradito dal suo paese, a cui era ritornato pieno di fiducia e di speranza...
August 25, 2023
A sad, tragic, realist story of Xiangzi, a tall, honest, serious country boy who works as a rickshaw puller in Beijing. Xiangzi’s ambition is to own his own rickshaw, which he estimates will take him three years to save for. Xiangzi is a hard , conscientious worker. Things do not go to plan.
A memorable, interesting, thought provoking, somewhat pessimistic novel about the life of poor uneducated members of society.
A very worthwhile reading experience.
This book was first published in China in 1937.
A memorable, interesting, thought provoking, somewhat pessimistic novel about the life of poor uneducated members of society.
A very worthwhile reading experience.
This book was first published in China in 1937.
September 20, 2011
The story of Hsiang Tzu in Rickshaw depicted the hard way of life in Peking during the 1930’s. The story opened my eyes to how harsh life was for the average person in China during these times. Rickshaw demonstrated several themes of naturalistic literature, and I think Lao She did an excellent job of exploring these themes. Hsiang Tzu surrenders himself to fate and believes he has no control over his own life. The harder life gets for Hsiang Tzu the more he gives himself to fate. This is an example of determinism, one of the themes of naturalism in the novel. In several of the modern Chinese novels I've read, determinism seems to be a big theme. The novel is often times frustrating because Hsiang Tzu was a good character and such a hard worker, but his surrender to fate leads him down many unfortunate roads (pun intended).
June 21, 2016
Xiangzi wants to swim upstream and be a self-sustaining individualist in a culture based on the collective. Or a Capitalist in a Socialist environment? It is, of course, hopeless unless you are a salmon. The parable that this book is actually sides with the collective. We read it in translation with the mindset that the individual is supreme but of course it was written from the other perspective and is a critique of the philosophy of individualism. Thus, Xiangzi is in the wrong and should be striving to work for the community, not to better himself. Eventually he gives in to the cultural imperative.
This aside, it is a very interesting look at life as it was for the poor in China in the 1930s.
This aside, it is a very interesting look at life as it was for the poor in China in the 1930s.
Read
April 29, 2025My first taste of Chinese literature. Lao She is considered as a prominent writer of the 20th century.
I chose this novel rather randomly at the bookstore as it was short and his best known work.
The chapter are short and it's easy to read. The protagonist is a poor, resilient and hardworking boy who only dreams of owning his own rickshaw by his own strength. Life's a bitch though and we follow all the obstacles he has to face in life, leaving him hopeless and defeated. It's not a happy read, no happy ending and the book explores how his individualism led him to be swallowed and spit ruthlessly by the society where money is the most important thing.
I chose this novel rather randomly at the bookstore as it was short and his best known work.
The chapter are short and it's easy to read. The protagonist is a poor, resilient and hardworking boy who only dreams of owning his own rickshaw by his own strength. Life's a bitch though and we follow all the obstacles he has to face in life, leaving him hopeless and defeated. It's not a happy read, no happy ending and the book explores how his individualism led him to be swallowed and spit ruthlessly by the society where money is the most important thing.
November 24, 2016
I really wanted to like this book, but the book is depressing and I couldn't relate to any of the characters. There is not one glimmer of hope in this book for anyone that is poor- you were poor, you work yourself to death, and you die poor. On the other hand, if you were born in the middle class or upper classes....
January 3, 2022
I finished both the book and the 1982 movie. Apart from being another strong case study to echo with the Poor Economics, if we project the takeaways onto what is meaningful to most people's lives, there are many strikingly meaningful points:
Mind-blowing point - Especially for young people, or people in always-stable conditions): Never linearly project our expectations to the future (physically and financially, in the context of book, but also generalizable to other aspects). Think with the mindset of the 100-Year Life.
0) Alert from the story: In the case of the main character Xiangzi, he over-estimated his healthy body in early 20s to the entire life. Based on this estimation, he insists the life of being an independent Rickshaw driver, instead of looking into other types of deeds such as management or business. He also largely overworks his body, and did not care about social networks.
1) Knowledge to equip with: Think about what might change as a function of time. Obvious ones include
age (which implies physical capabilities),
family condition (which implies marriage, kids, aging or illness of family members),
career prospect (e.g., will a domain be more prosperous or declining),
life condition (also including changed mindset),
world events (e.g., pandemic, war, financial crisis, etc.), and so on.
-- To get a better sense of world events: Read politics, read history, think about human nature (e.g., psychology, philosophy about human nature and political philosophy such as in the enlightenment movement). Also be aware of the Black Swan, and financial investment tips since life choices might, analogously, also look like investments.
-- To get a better estimation of health conditions: Read books about aging (e.g., Being Mortal) and death (e.g., Tuesdays with Morrie, The Last Lecture). Think about exercising (e.g., 10-min HIIT every day), and better eating habits (following nutrition studies).
* Thinking exercise: Draw a diagram of expected valid productive hours per day to do things you like with age ranging from 1-100. Also note that not only physical abilities, but thinking will also be not as sharp as before because the brain will shrink when one gets very old.
* Take it easy. Your own health is much easier to predict scientifically than world events or stock markets :). Plus, you can have the full control and take actions.
* Negative example: What Xiangzi does in the novel (e.g., running the rickshaw in the big run, insisting on going back to work when he still hasn't fully recovered from illness).
* Positive and fun examples: Max Planck over-lived his academic counterpart, and he could keep pushing his idea to the next generation. So is the Chinese painter Wen Zhengming than Tang Yin.
-- To get a better sense of different stages of a family: Talk to senior/experienced people. We learn this from life.
2) Actions we can do: Once we are equipped with the right knowledge (e.g., better estimation of our constraints & clearer understanding of what goals we want to achieve with the limited conditions), as Russell indicates in the History of Western Philosophy, the first step towards intelligence is to fore-see and plan forward.
More concretely, it means redistributing our time (24 hours/day, 365 days/year) to different actions, so that we can optimize the overall gain in life.
Action type 1) Slow down the decline curves (e.g., on health) with a suitable portion of time, so that the time span of our life is longer. (Hence, the integration of our efforts to pursue what we want over time of our life span is larger.)
Action type 2) Invest our time and efforts in things that help stability:
a) About skills:
- Multiple skills instead of one
- Physical-ability-agnostic skills instead of highly physically demanding skills (Negative example: Xiangzi and the community of rickshaw runners in the story)
- Skills that can generalize (Feel free to look up the term "transferable skills")
- Career capitals that grow by experience and reputation (e.g., growing to be an authority in a domain)
- Skills that you gain in advance in a potential-stock-like domain, e.g., deep learning before everyone realizes it is popular, or maybe quantum computing in the upcoming future.
b) Stability by the shape of social network around you:
- Genuine friendship (to the extent that the friend circle is willing to largely support each other through struggling life conditions)
- Help others when they need (Always remember nobody can be sure that bad things wouldn't happen to them. We always need help for each other throughout our life.)
- Career-related support from multiple domains (at least one of which will be risk-averse)
- Establish personal trust instead of just work relationships. This was also the reason why I recently read books such as the gift-sending culture and face and favor (a bit specific to Chinese communities).
c) Other stability:
- Invest in our health (Think about Xiangzi's deteriorating health that ruins his hope)
- Financially prepared for changes in family (Think about Xiangzi's inability to pay for an emergency doctor when his wife was dying in birth-giving)
- Financially prepared for social changes (Think about how much money even refugees need to prepare to make sure they can safely cross each border when fleeing to another country in The New Odyssey)
- Invest in family time so that all family members are doing good.
Action type 3) Invest in knowledge. With knowledge, we can estimate many crucial variables to our decisions better (e.g., the external conditions, our abilities, what we really want to pursue, what do different paths actually look like, how are other people in society doing in different life stages and situations).
Other side tips) Do not be too frivolous with job opportunities. This needs to be done with caution, but do grab a career opportunity when it has great potential and can make life much easier later.
Mind-blowing point - Especially for young people, or people in always-stable conditions): Never linearly project our expectations to the future (physically and financially, in the context of book, but also generalizable to other aspects). Think with the mindset of the 100-Year Life.
0) Alert from the story: In the case of the main character Xiangzi, he over-estimated his healthy body in early 20s to the entire life. Based on this estimation, he insists the life of being an independent Rickshaw driver, instead of looking into other types of deeds such as management or business. He also largely overworks his body, and did not care about social networks.
1) Knowledge to equip with: Think about what might change as a function of time. Obvious ones include
age (which implies physical capabilities),
family condition (which implies marriage, kids, aging or illness of family members),
career prospect (e.g., will a domain be more prosperous or declining),
life condition (also including changed mindset),
world events (e.g., pandemic, war, financial crisis, etc.), and so on.
-- To get a better sense of world events: Read politics, read history, think about human nature (e.g., psychology, philosophy about human nature and political philosophy such as in the enlightenment movement). Also be aware of the Black Swan, and financial investment tips since life choices might, analogously, also look like investments.
-- To get a better estimation of health conditions: Read books about aging (e.g., Being Mortal) and death (e.g., Tuesdays with Morrie, The Last Lecture). Think about exercising (e.g., 10-min HIIT every day), and better eating habits (following nutrition studies).
* Thinking exercise: Draw a diagram of expected valid productive hours per day to do things you like with age ranging from 1-100. Also note that not only physical abilities, but thinking will also be not as sharp as before because the brain will shrink when one gets very old.
* Take it easy. Your own health is much easier to predict scientifically than world events or stock markets :). Plus, you can have the full control and take actions.
* Negative example: What Xiangzi does in the novel (e.g., running the rickshaw in the big run, insisting on going back to work when he still hasn't fully recovered from illness).
* Positive and fun examples: Max Planck over-lived his academic counterpart, and he could keep pushing his idea to the next generation. So is the Chinese painter Wen Zhengming than Tang Yin.
-- To get a better sense of different stages of a family: Talk to senior/experienced people. We learn this from life.
2) Actions we can do: Once we are equipped with the right knowledge (e.g., better estimation of our constraints & clearer understanding of what goals we want to achieve with the limited conditions), as Russell indicates in the History of Western Philosophy, the first step towards intelligence is to fore-see and plan forward.
More concretely, it means redistributing our time (24 hours/day, 365 days/year) to different actions, so that we can optimize the overall gain in life.
Action type 1) Slow down the decline curves (e.g., on health) with a suitable portion of time, so that the time span of our life is longer. (Hence, the integration of our efforts to pursue what we want over time of our life span is larger.)
Action type 2) Invest our time and efforts in things that help stability:
a) About skills:
- Multiple skills instead of one
- Physical-ability-agnostic skills instead of highly physically demanding skills (Negative example: Xiangzi and the community of rickshaw runners in the story)
- Skills that can generalize (Feel free to look up the term "transferable skills")
- Career capitals that grow by experience and reputation (e.g., growing to be an authority in a domain)
- Skills that you gain in advance in a potential-stock-like domain, e.g., deep learning before everyone realizes it is popular, or maybe quantum computing in the upcoming future.
b) Stability by the shape of social network around you:
- Genuine friendship (to the extent that the friend circle is willing to largely support each other through struggling life conditions)
- Help others when they need (Always remember nobody can be sure that bad things wouldn't happen to them. We always need help for each other throughout our life.)
- Career-related support from multiple domains (at least one of which will be risk-averse)
- Establish personal trust instead of just work relationships. This was also the reason why I recently read books such as the gift-sending culture and face and favor (a bit specific to Chinese communities).
c) Other stability:
- Invest in our health (Think about Xiangzi's deteriorating health that ruins his hope)
- Financially prepared for changes in family (Think about Xiangzi's inability to pay for an emergency doctor when his wife was dying in birth-giving)
- Financially prepared for social changes (Think about how much money even refugees need to prepare to make sure they can safely cross each border when fleeing to another country in The New Odyssey)
- Invest in family time so that all family members are doing good.
Action type 3) Invest in knowledge. With knowledge, we can estimate many crucial variables to our decisions better (e.g., the external conditions, our abilities, what we really want to pursue, what do different paths actually look like, how are other people in society doing in different life stages and situations).
Other side tips) Do not be too frivolous with job opportunities. This needs to be done with caution, but do grab a career opportunity when it has great potential and can make life much easier later.
April 1, 2023
"Apagó la luz, metió la cabeza bajo la sábana e intentó dormir. Pero no lo conseguía; abrió de nuevo los ojos y observó cómo el papel que cubría la ventana se volvía de color verde bajo la luz de luna. El día agonizaba tras los cristales. Con la nariz helada, impregnado de olor a alcohol, Xiangzi pegó un salto y, levantándose, agarró el vaso de licor, y bebió ávidamente".
El inicio de la novela, aunque optimista, en realidad refleja perfectamente lo que es la credulidad en el sistema, es decir, de creer que el trabajo duro resolverá nuestros problemas. Durante el desarrollo de la historia, Xiangzi es testigo en carne propia de la degradación moral de un sistema que en realidad no puede funcionar, ya que es éste el responsable de llevar a los individuos (los empobrecidos, cabe aclarar) hasta sus propios límites, destrozándolos y arruinándolos por igual.
En la primera mitad de la novela el autor nos atiborra de detalladas narraciones paisajistas, transportándonos y sumergiéndonos en la China de Xiangzi. Sin embargo, estos paisajes comienzan a esfumarse lentamente, siendo (así lo creo) el vivo ejemplo de las esperanzas del protagonista, las cuales, gradualmente, se vuelven endebles.
Sus personajes son verosímiles, cuasi tangibles incluso: podemos verlos hundidos entre la abundante bulla e incluso aplastados por aquellos que tienen el suficiente poder de ser quienes van encima del rickshaw mientras Xiangzi, en su miseria, los transporta hastiadamente.
El inicio de la novela, aunque optimista, en realidad refleja perfectamente lo que es la credulidad en el sistema, es decir, de creer que el trabajo duro resolverá nuestros problemas. Durante el desarrollo de la historia, Xiangzi es testigo en carne propia de la degradación moral de un sistema que en realidad no puede funcionar, ya que es éste el responsable de llevar a los individuos (los empobrecidos, cabe aclarar) hasta sus propios límites, destrozándolos y arruinándolos por igual.
En la primera mitad de la novela el autor nos atiborra de detalladas narraciones paisajistas, transportándonos y sumergiéndonos en la China de Xiangzi. Sin embargo, estos paisajes comienzan a esfumarse lentamente, siendo (así lo creo) el vivo ejemplo de las esperanzas del protagonista, las cuales, gradualmente, se vuelven endebles.
Sus personajes son verosímiles, cuasi tangibles incluso: podemos verlos hundidos entre la abundante bulla e incluso aplastados por aquellos que tienen el suficiente poder de ser quienes van encima del rickshaw mientras Xiangzi, en su miseria, los transporta hastiadamente.
May 5, 2025
A timeless story about how extreme poverty is impossible to get out of and gets worse over time no matter how hard one works. The writing style is solid, the characters feel very real, and the plot is coherent while having things to say about society. Everything was fine, it just didn’t impact me very much. I suspect I will forget most of it.
June 28, 2022
Scritto nel 1936 e ambientato nella Pechino di quel periodo storico é una sublime ed amara poesia sui dimenticati dalla Storia, un racconto innovativo per l'epoca centrato sulla vita degli ultimi, la loro quotidianità narrata con il tocco personale di un grande scrittore.
November 30, 2024
Rikšiar, 1936
Chudobný chlapec Siang sa životom pretĺka ako pekinský rikšiar. Celé dni pobehuje po uliciach a rozváža ľudí, aby si jedného dňa mohol zadovážiť svoju vlastnú rikšu... Bude k nemu osud milosrdny, alebo cieľavedomosť a každodenná tvrdá drina nestačia?
Chudobný chlapec Siang sa životom pretĺka ako pekinský rikšiar. Celé dni pobehuje po uliciach a rozváža ľudí, aby si jedného dňa mohol zadovážiť svoju vlastnú rikšu... Bude k nemu osud milosrdny, alebo cieľavedomosť a každodenná tvrdá drina nestačia?
December 17, 2019
Retrato das condições politico-sociais da china no início do séc XX.
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