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Title:
Exploring Lao She’s Christian Faith through His Literary Creation
Abstract:
In 1922, Lao She (1899-1966, originally named Shu Qingchun, and courtesy name Sheyu) was baptized as a Christian at the Gangwashi Church of Beijing. After embracing faith, he chose the courtesy name “Sheyu”(舍予), which not only splits his surname “Shu”(舒) into two parts but also embodies the spirit of self-sacrifice found in Jesus Christ. Subsequently, all his writings on Christianity were signed “Shu Sheyu.” It is noteworthy that Lao She placed greater emphasis on the establishment of the church in China than on the spiritual development of Christians. Scholars have described this type of believer as “social evangelicals,” characterized by a patriotism that outweighs their devotion to God. They believed in demonstrating the concrete contributions of religion to society through secular means. This perspective led to another value: prioritizing “this life” over “eternal life.” Lao She not only expressed this viewpoint in his writings on religion but also explored the balance between the two through various characters in his novels. This paper will first examine Lao She’s considerations regarding the balance between “nation” and “Lord” in his plans to build a Chinese church. It will then elaborate on his interpretations and applications of biblical texts, and finally analyze his multifaceted views on Christianity through his literary works.
