Ah Q The True Story

¶ … Ah Q

The True story of Ah Q"

The True story of Ah Q" is one of the most widely read pieces of Chinese literature and is a true masterpiece in both narrative and characterization. The writer was Lu Hsun, (Lu Xun) who was born in 1881. Growing up in significantly troubled times, the writer was much influenced by the anti-imperialist, anti-feudal sentiment prevalent in his youth and sought to use literature as his engine for change. China in late nineteenth century was under the influence of foreign powers that were rapidly undermining the local feudal power as Ching Dynasty had become corrupt and ineffective. Chinese population was suffering, especially the working class, as imperialist aggression gained strength and Ching Dynasty refused to take action against such a massive force. Instead it yielded more to foreign forces in order to prolong their already dying rule.

Lu Hsun's youth thus coincided with a period of intense internal conflict as China was in imminent danger of losing its sovereignty to imperialists. Lu Hsun couldn't remain unmoved with what he was witnessing and took this time to reflect on the ultimate fate of his country, people and loved ones. It was during his stay in Nanking for four years that Lu Hsun became actively involved in political uprisings as his visit coincided with the "Reform Movement of 1899" and invasion of Peking by imperialist forces in 1900. These changes convinced him of the need for a revolution against imperialism and Ching Dynasty. He believed in establishment of independent democratically chosen government and thus was strictly against the feudalist rule that had plagued China for a long time.

Around 1906-1907, Lu Hsun involved himself with literary pursuits and wrote several essays and made some translations of important Russian works. Literature became his vital tool for change and he felt he could guide his people in the right direction with his pen. His literary career however took off in 1918 after the October Revolution of 1917 and coincided with May Fourth Movement of 1919. His desire for change and revolution led to his immortal work the True Story of, Ah Q. that established his position as the pioneer of new literature movement in China.

Hence this was the background of the True Story of Ah Q (TSAQ). The author has confessed on several occasions that this work was meant to highlight the national soul of China. He wanted to portray China and its leaders as he saw it and thus TSAQ served as the mirror of the national character. In his preface to the Russian translation of TSAQ, Lu Hsun explained why he wrote this story: "I tried my best to paint the soul of our countrymen in modern times, but I am not so certain whether my endeavor has been successful or not." (Hsun 7: 77)

Ah Q, the leading character of the story, represents the ruling class of China in late nineteenth and early 20th century. The disenfranchised individual is completely incapable of being a true leader in any sense of the term. This reflected the national character in those days since not only the ruling class but also most people had become ineffective and lethargic. Instead of gaining some true victories, they relied on so-called 'moral victories' to appease their conscience. Since Chinese ruling classes lacked any real strength to fight the imperialist forces, they were more or less satisfied with amassing moral victories that proved completely useless in the long run. This servile, rather ineffective and certainly cowardly method of running the country had earlier been highlighted by other Chinese writers as well including Li Pao-chia (Modern Times) and Tseng P'u (a Flower in an Ocean of Sin). But the way Lu Hsun incorporated this tendency in other areas and social classes gave the story a unique perspective.

Instead of simply "revealing the tendency of the ruling classes and the intelligentsia to gain 'moral victories," Lu Hsun "discovers a similar trait even among uneducated people, among whom traditions of slavery had been fostered from generation to generation." (Pozdneeva: 148) This added greater depth and meaning to the character of Ah Q. And gave it the much-needed breadth that could highlight the negative traits of the entire nation and not just the ruling class. Ah Q. thus became a national symbol as Li Tuo explains: "The word "Ah Q" never used to exist in the Chinese language. It was the pure invention of Lu Xun. However, once the idea escaped from under the pen of its creator, it took on a life of its own and traveled among hundreds of thousands of people whose repeated evocations and citations helped generate further topics and discourses." (Tuo: 5)

That the main objective was to expose the negative traits of Chinese soul and national character was repeatedly reinforced; mostly by the author himself. On another occasion, in his essay entitled "Zaitan baoliu," Lu Hsun used the third person voice to sum up his objective for writing this story and the impact that it had since had on the readers: "Twelve years ago, Lu Xun wrote a story called 'The True Story of Ah Q' with the intention of exposing the weakness of his fellow citizens, although he did not specify whether he himself was included therein or not. This year, a number of individuals have come out to identify themselves as 'Ah Q.' That must have been part of the unfortunate karma of the modern age." (Hsun 5: 114)

Further textual analysis of the story reveals an obsession with theatrics and a love for drama incorporated in the Chinese soul. The hero AH Q, for example, would not waste any opportunity to give a histrionic performance. The over-rationalization of defeat and human failings and the inability to true grasp the gravity of a situation generate some truly hilarious instances. Arthur Smith had earlier recognized this Chinese trait as he once wrote: "Upon very slight provocation, any Chinese regards himself in the light of an actor in a drama. He throws himself into theatrical attitudes, performs the salaam, falls upon his knees, prostrates himself and strikes his head upon the earth, under circumstances which to an Occidental seem to make such actions superfluous, not to say ridiculous. A Chinese thinks in theatrical terms." (Smith: 18)

This point is confirmed by some highly dramatic though certainly hilarious performances of Ah Q. In the story. The most entertaining episode and certainly the most unforgettable is the one where Ah Q. is asked to draw a circle on a paper that perhaps is his own death sentence. Ah Q. is not concerned with what the paper states rather he is pathetically embarrassed by the fact that he cannot draw a completely round circle. This rationalizing of defeat in this scene is poignant, entertaining and yet tragic. In his embarrassment over his inability to draw a circle round, Ah Q. thinks: "in this world it was the fate of everybody at some time to be dragged in and out of prison, and to have to draw circles on paper; it was only because his circle had not been round that he felt there was a stain on his reputation. Presently, however, he regained composure by thinking, 'Only idiots can make perfect circles.' And with this thought he fell asleep." (p. 111) This attitude reflects the essence of what was later termed as Ah Q-ism.

As Smith recognized the love for theatrics in Chinese character, the author in Ah Q. has also accentuated the same through some amazing overtly dramatic performances by the protagonist. For example when Ah Q. is being taken to the execution ground, instead of thinking about death, he is regretting not having sung any lines from an opera to dramatize his situation: "His thoughts revolved like a whirlwind: The Young Widow and Her Husband's Grave was not heroic enough. The words of 'I regret to have killed' in the Battle of Dragon and Tiger were too poor. I'll thrash you with a steel mace was still the best. But when he wanted to raise his hands, he remembered that they were bound together; so he did not sing I'll thrash you either."(113)