Rickshaw Boy

In early twentieth-century Beijing, Xiangzi, a poor young man who has left the countryside for the city, earns his living pulling a rickshaw through its crowded streets. He dreams of saving enough to own a rickshaw outright. The novel follows the bad luck, unexpected reversals and hardships that shape his efforts to get ahead in a city where working people have little security.

Lao She first published the book in 1937. This new English translation brings it to American readers, introducing his storytelling to a contemporary audience.

Lao She ranks among the leading Chinese writers of the twentieth century. He wrote both novels and plays.