Rou Shi

Rou Shi (; 28 September 1902 – 7 February 1931) was a prominent left-wing Chinese writer and member of the May Fourth Movement. Executed on either 7 or 8 February 1931

In 1925 Rou Shi studied briefly at Peking University, but returned to Zhejiang in the spring of 1926, teaching in Hangzhou and Zhenhai. In the summer of 1927 he returned to his hometown Ninghai and taught at Ninghai High School, a local Communist base. After the failed Communist rebellion in May 1928, he took refuge in Shanghai, where he was introduced to the leading leftist writer Lu Xun, who lived nearby. Together with Lu Xun and others, he cofounded the Morning Flower Society (朝花社), which published several progressive journals. Lu Xun stated that the purpose of the Society was to "introduce literature from Eastern and Northern Europe and import foreign woodcuts."

Select bibliography Works in English "A Wife's Farewell" (, 1929), translated by Di Fan "A Slave Mother" (, 1930), translated by Edgar Snow (1936) Threshold of Spring (, 1929), translated by Sidney Shapiro (1980) "Destruction" , in Threshold of Spring (1980) "A Hired Wife" (, 1930), in Threshold of Spring (1980)

Works in Chinese Short story collections Madman (, 1925) Slave (, 1928) Hope (, 1930)

Novels Death of the Old Times (, 1926) February (, 1929) Three Sisters (, 1929)

Dramas Comedy of the World

Nonfiction Curse (, 1925) A Strong Impression (, 1930) Child Stealing Fruit Choosing a Place To Die Seeing the Doctor A Youngster Selling Pens Tricked A Dream of White June Benefactor

Poetry "War!" (, 1925) "Blood Is Boiling" (, 1930) "Autumn Wind Comes from the West"

Translations and adaptations One of Rou Shi's best known short stories, A Slave Mother, was first translated to English by Edgar Snow in 1936. In 1963, February was adapted to the critically acclaimed film Early Spring in February, which was directed by Xie Tieli and starred Sun Daolin, Shangguan Yunzhu, and Xie Fang. In 2003, A Slave Mother was adapted to a television film starring He Lin, who won the Best Actress award of the 2005 International Emmy Award for her performance in the film.

Memorials On the 100th anniversary of his birth in 2002, Rou Shi's hometown, Ninghai, restored his former residence and opened it as a museum in his memory. The county also opened the newly built Rou Shi Park covering an area of 250 mu.