Beijing

Name: Beijing
ISBN: 9787301290750

穆儒丐Aug 2025

3.8

Word count: 175K words
Chapters: 30
ISBN: 9787301290750

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Summary

The Beijing-flavored novel has a long lineage. In the late Qing and early Republican Beijing literary scene, prominent journalists led by Peng Yizhong opened up a broad stage for novelists through vernacular newspapers, and Beijing-flavored novelists represented by Sungong, Jiandan, Lengfo and Rugai came to the fore, producing thousands of works that were enthusiastically received by readers across the Beijing-Tianjin region; their achievements are a vivid chapter in the history of Beijing-flavored literature. In a sense, the language of these novels is an encyclopedia of old Beijing speech. Beijing-flavored fiction therefore holds considerable research value in both literary and linguistic terms. Beijing was one of the more influential works of the time. Markedly autobiographical, the novel recounts what Bo Yong, an editor at the Dahua Daily, witnessed after returning from study in Japan—the sordid realities of Republican-era society; the tragic plight of lower-class Banner people is especially poignant. The book re-creates the social landscape of old Beijing and traces the inner journey of an idealist who wanted to change China.

Editor's review

Beijing is one of Mu Rugai's representative Beijing-flavored novels and is markedly autobiographical. Told through the experiences of Bo Yong, an editor at the Dahua Daily after his return from study abroad, it unfolds the bizarre and sordid spectacle of Beijing society in the early Republican years while rendering with deep feeling the tragic plight of lower-class Banner people. Its distinctive value is twofold: on one hand, it is a vivid record of old Beijing social customs—street life, the newspaper world, Banner life—its language itself a treasure trove of old Beijing speech; on the other, it chronicles an idealist's inner journey in the face of a corrupt reality, offering the insight of a historical cross-section. This newly edited edition provides readers interested in the origins of Beijing-flavored literature, Republican social history and the Beijing dialect with a rare primary text. It may be read both as a novel and as a warm, living historical document.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the origins of Beijing-flavored literature and the late Qing–early Republican Beijing literary scene
History and literature enthusiasts studying Republican-era society, the press and Banner life
Language lovers who want to experience old Beijing speech and street life through fiction
Literary readers drawn to an idealist's spiritual predicament and autobiographical narrative

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer fast-paced, plot-driven, light entertainment
Those sensitive to depictions of social darkness in the Republican era or impatient with a somber tone

Reading tips

Begin with the preface or publisher's note to learn the background of Beijing-flavored fiction and the author's life before entering the text.
Read Bo Yong's press-world observations alongside the plight of lower-class Banner people to appreciate the author's twofold concern.
Mark old Beijing dialect words as you go and look them up afterward to appreciate the linguistic value.
After finishing, revisit the social phenomena in the book alongside historical sources on the late Qing and early Republican period for deeper understanding.

版权信息
总序
“早期北京话珍稀文献集成”序
“清末民初京味儿小说书系”序
整理说明
序一
序二
序三
序四
序五
序六
题词
自序
第一章
第二章
第三章
第四章
第五章
第六章
第七章
第八章
第九章
第十章
第十一章
第十二章
第十三章
第十四章
第十五章
跋
疑难字表

FAQ

Is this book autobiography or fiction?

It is a markedly autobiographical novel. The experience of the protagonist Bo Yong, who works at the Dahua Daily after returning from study abroad, closely echoes author Mu Rugai's own career in the press, but the work still organizes characters and plot as fiction and should not be read as a strict factual record.

Can I understand it without prior knowledge of Beijing-flavored literature?

Yes. The storyline is clear, linking social phenomena through the protagonist's observations, and does not depend on specialized literary theory. There is much dialect and old Beijing custom; on a first reading, focus on plot and characters' fates, and savor the linguistic pleasures on a rereading.

Is the language in the book useful for studying old Beijing speech?

Considerably. The language of Beijing-flavored fiction is itself regarded as an encyclopedia of old Beijing speech, and this book preserves the colloquial expressions and street terms of Beijing residents of the time, offering a reference for understanding the actual state of Beijing speech in the early Republican era—though one should note the element of literary crafting.

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About the author

穆儒丐 Author

Mu Rugai is a Chinese author about whom relatively little is known; publicly available information is limited, with no clear records of nationality, dates of birth and death, or educational background, and his English name is unknown. Two of his works are currently held in the collection, mainly in the genre of social fiction, with Beijing, 1912 as a representative title. Judging from the genre and title, his writing focuses on the social landscape of Beijing during a particular historical period, with an approach oriented toward everyday urban life and realistic human relations, showing a realistic tendency characteristic of social fiction and presenting the ways of the world amid historical change through characters and ordinary scenes. The title Beijing, 1912 also suggests that the narrative may be closely related to Beijing society in the early years of the Republic of China. Because verifiable biographical information is insufficient, an assessment of his literary standing and influence still depends on the organization of more historical sources and textual materials, and readers may appreciate his narrative style and thematic orientation through his extant works.