阿Ｑ正傳

by Xun Lu

"阿Ｑ正傳" by Xun Lu is a novella first published as a serial between 1921-1922. The story follows Ah Q, a poor hired hand who uses a "spiritual victory method" to cope with constant humiliation and failure. When facing those above him socially, he demeans himself for comfort; when confronting those below, he turns to violence. Through Ah Q's tragicomic life, the work explores how revolution failed to transform rural China and exposes deep flaws in human nature itself.