Family Portrait

Lao SheNanhai Publication Company · ChinaFeb 2017

3.9

Word count: 30K words
Chapters: 11

Summary

Family Portrait is a three-act, seven-scene play by Lao She that follows the joys and sorrows of several generations of a family and their neighbors in a Beijing hutong, presenting a panoramic picture of everyday life.

Editor's review

Family Portrait is a three-act, seven-scene play by Lao She that brings to the stage the joys and sorrows of several generations of a family and their neighbors in a Beijing hutong, unfolding the panoramic picture of everyday life that Lao She excelled at. Its readability lies not only in the plot but also in the worldly tact and changing times conveyed through the dialogue. Readers can see the entanglements of family relations and feel the close yet delicate network among neighbors. As a play text, its scene arrangement and character entrances carry a clear sense of the stage, inviting readers to imagine the performance as they read. For those who want to understand Lao She's dramatic work or are interested in Beijing-flavored literature and urban life, this small book offers a light but flavorful entry point. While reading, note how the lines carry the narrative and how characters of different generations clash in the same space.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Lao She's plays who want to understand his dramatic work
Readers who enjoy Beijing-flavored literature and hutong everyday life
Hobbyists who need a short play for reading aloud or small-stage performance
General readers who want to observe changing times through family and neighbor relations

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer the complex plots and extensive psychological description of full-length novels
Those unfamiliar with the play form who expect a purely prose narrative

Reading tips

Read the whole play first to understand the character relationships, then read scene by scene for the worldly nuance and subtext in the dialogue.
Try reading aloud by role to appreciate the sound and rhythm of the play text.
After finishing, compare it with Lao She's other Beijing-flavored works to see how novels and plays differ in narrative method.

About the publisher

Nanhai Publication Company China · Founded in 1988

Nanhai Publication Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its literature and arts titles, covering fields such as classical poetry, martial arts fiction, and folk literature. Judging from the more than 1,600 books in the database, the company has released classical poetic works including the Nineteen Old Poems and the Nine Songs, as well as multiple volumes of Huanzhulouzhu's series The Swordsmen of Mount Shu, along with related writings by authors such as Guan Hanqing, Qu Yuan, Zuo Si, and Wang Zhihuan. Its publishing character lies in balancing the organization of classic texts with the dissemination of popular literature, placing poetry anthologies alongside long martial arts novels and presenting a relatively diverse literary profile. Public information is limited, and further details about its editorial practices and series planning remain to be supplemented.

版权信息
序幕
第一幕
第一场
第二场
第三场
第二幕
第一场
第二场
第三场
第三幕

FAQ

What kind of work is Family Portrait?

It is a three-act, seven-scene play about the joys and sorrows of several generations of a family and their neighbors in a Beijing hutong, presenting character relationships and changing times as a panoramic picture of everyday life. Read it scene by scene, noting how the stage settings and dialogue work together.

Can I read this book without experience reading plays?

Yes. The play consists mainly of dialogue and stage directions, and the plot lines are relatively clear. On a first reading, focus on the character relationships and the main conflict in each scene; you need not work out staging details from the start. Once you have read through it, go back to the subtext in the lines.

Is this book suitable for reading aloud or staging?

As a three-act, seven-scene play, it is well suited to role reading and small-scale staging. Start by reviewing the character list and scene structure, then assign roles by scene, paying attention to the rhythm of the lines and changes in character relationships. For staging, the set can be simplified as needed.

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About the author

Lao She Author · China · 1899–1966

Lao She, born Shu Qingchun with the courtesy name Sheyu, lived from 1899 to 1966. A Manchu from Beijing, he is a major modern Chinese writer. His writing long centered on urban life in Beijing and on ordinary people at the lower levels of society. His works are mostly social novels and folk literature, and he also wrote essays and miscellaneous prose. His style is plain yet marked by irony and compassion, and he was skilled at using colloquial Beijing-flavored language to portray characters and their fates. His representative works include Camel Xiangzi, Four Generations Under One Roof, and Teahouse, which have had wide influence. In 1951 he received the title "People's Artist." The library holds 488 of his works, commonly classified under social fiction, classics, folk literature, essays and miscellaneous writings, and exam books, showing that his writing continues to circulate among readers and in teaching.