The Begging Family

Name: The Begging Family
ISBN: 9787532171385

锤子Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaDec 2025

3.1

Word count: 107K words
Chapters: 37
ISBN: 9787532171385

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Summary

Contemporary China's Capernaum: the story of a group of youths who, beset by various family problems, end up on the streets by the railway, band together to form a makeshift family, and survive by begging.

Editor's review

With its lens trained on a group of youths cast onto the streets by broken families, The Beggar Family follows them as they scrape a living by begging and rebuild a makeshift family in one another. The book's value lies not in dramatizing suffering but in rendering the youths' mutual support and their struggle for dignity in the cracks of survival. The narrative stays close to the ground, and the relationships are plain yet charged: who begs, who keeps watch, how burdens are shared when someone falls ill—such everyday details give the word "family" concrete weight. It suits readers concerned with grassroots realities, adolescent development, and family structure, and serves as a window onto contemporary urban marginalized groups. Read it slowly and watch how the youths' forms of address and division of labor shift; that is the hidden thread of emotional bonding. A note: the subject matter involves homelessness and poverty, and the tone is somber—not for readers seeking light diversion.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers of nonfiction or fiction about grassroots realities and homeless youth
Readers interested in makeshift families and non-biological kinship
Social science enthusiasts wanting to understand the lives of marginalized urban youths today
Teachers and social workers who need to understand the psychology of at-risk adolescents

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking light, warm reads who avoid heavy social issues
Genre-fiction readers who prefer strong plot twists and suspenseful pacing
Readers prone to strong emotional reactions to depictions of homelessness and poverty

Reading tips

Read slowly and note how the youths' forms of address and division of labor change; that is the emotional throughline.
Pair the reading with news reports or documentaries on homeless youth.
After reading, sketch a relationship map to clarify who takes on the "parent" role and when.
For teaching or social-work discussions, frame the question: how does a makeshift family maintain order?

About the publisher

Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1952

Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House takes modern and contemporary Chinese literature and folk literature as important publishing directions, while also covering social novels, classic works, and prose and miscellaneous writings, and has long introduced foreign literature and philosophical works. Its books include masterpieces such as Lao She's Teahouse and Camel Xiangzi, Lu Xun's Call to Arms and Wandering and Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk, and Xiao Hong's Tales of Hulan River, as well as translations such as Gilles Deleuze's Nietzsche and Philosophy, Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front, and The Pillars of the Earth trilogy. Its authors include Lao She, Lu Xun, Xiao Hong, Zhou Ying, Liu Yuyu, and Jiang Yi, reflecting a publishing character that balances original literature, academic translation, and general reading.

版权信息
第一章出走
猫狗兄弟
扒车
驯虎
车站
鸭子
复仇
道歉
羚羊
第二章异乡
丐帮
裙子
闯入者
阿飞阿南
秘密
钓鱼
老乞丐
马田
第三章殊途
冤家路窄
麻李
绝活
横祸
成家
立冬
拉扯
取暖
第四章归路
家宴
怀孕
殒命
疯子
衣冠冢
决战
过年
第五章后记釜底游鱼

FAQ

Is this book based on true events?

The materials only state that it tells the story of a group of youths who, due to family problems, end up by the railway and form a makeshift family to survive by begging; it is not labeled a work of reportage. Read it as literary creation—its observations on the plight of troubled youths have real-world relevance, but it should not be cited directly as a case report.

Does the book dwell on suffering? Is it depressing to read?

The subject matter does involve homelessness and poverty, and the tone is somber, but the focus is on how the youths support one another and maintain the order of a "family," rather than piling on misery. If you are sensitive to heavy material, read in sections and talk with friends afterward to ease the emotional impact.

Is it suitable for young readers?

It depends on age and guidance. The youths in the book are close in age to young readers, which makes for easy empathy, but the book touches on homelessness and family breakdown. Parents or teachers should read it first, then discuss the characters' choices and circumstances with the child, so that reading alone does not leave them feeling helpless or misunderstood.

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About the author

锤子 Author

Chui Zi is an author about whom limited public information is available. Two works are known to appear under this name: The Beggar Family and Heavy Rain. Both are commonly classified as social fiction. Judging from this category and the titles of the two works, Chui Zi's writing seems to turn its attention to ordinary people, marginalized groups, and real-life circumstances, showing a clear concern for social issues. The imagery suggested by the titles also points to a narrative tendency that does not shy away from the rougher aspects of life. Because reliable biographical information is lacking, the author's birthplace, personal history, chronology of works, and publication details cannot be confirmed, so it would be unwise to infer too much about writing style. On the available evidence, Chui Zi's creative profile emerges mainly through the genre of social fiction; readers may consult the texts of these two works to learn more about the author's characterization, narrative pacing, and way of engaging with reality.