LaoShe Teahouse, Beijing

"In the teahouses one could hear the most absurd stories," Lao She (1899-1966) writes of the scene set in one of his best-known works: Teahouse《茶館》.

Since the dawn of the Cultural Revolution, Lao She, one of China's favorite literary sons, or the People's Artist -- as he was commonly hailed by readers -- was incessantly denounced and criticized by the publicity machinery of Chairman Mao's regime. Finally, the curtain fell at the dusk of October 24, 1966. Lao She, aged 67, drowned himself in a Beijing lake, maybe humiliation, maybe dismalness, maybe revulsion and maybe hell after being paraded through streets in chains and banners and beaten up by the Red Guards for more than 6 hours the day before.

Jiang Qing (江青), figurehead of the Cultural Revolution, had this to say of Lao She when asked what badges the writer "counter-revolutionary/reactionary" and why his "reformation" is needed: "he is a capitalistic writer because he eats an egg everyday for breakfast."

40 years on, the teahouse named after that man is said to be one of the most cash-generating teahouses in China.

Comments

[nolan]

Lao She is fine for a little one-night stop, but it lacks the traditional content that I think originality attracted people there. They need to focus more on the basics of what they are doing ex. using more live music for the performances and not recorded disco tech blasting over the crowded rooms.

I do love the Chinese ranting and comedy troupes though, very entertaining.

http://www.nolanledarney.com

[ww]

This is a random comment not pertaining to the post, but i don't think your translation of the Mao quote in your banner is accurate. The second part should be, "eating is" not "Eating IT is"

[Chubbypanda]

That boy has got some moves, but Lao She's story and your comment about the teahouse that bears his name today illustrates what's truly wrong with both the CCP today and the "Cultural Revolution" of the 60s. Sadly enough, Lao She's story is far from isolated. Mao's policies during his two attempts at a "Great Leap Forward", as well as the "Cultural Revolution", resulted in the deaths of millions.