Located on the north side of West Dengshikou Street, the Former Residence of Lao She (renowned modern novelist and playwright) is a traditional quadrangle home with two central courtyards. Lao She bought the house in 1949 upon his return from the United States and spent most of his last 13 years at this house. It was here he wrote 23 works including a famous drama Fang Zhenzhu. Lao She’ s wife moved out of the house and donated it to the state together with great amounts of his manuscripts. Soon, the house was turned into a museum and listed as one of the historical and culture sites under the state protection.
Lao She (1899-1966), a native of Beijing, was a novelist and playwright in the early years of New China. He went to America to teach and write after the Chinese people won the War of Resistance Against Japan in 1945, but was called back in 1949. His works are strongly influenced by his life in Beijing, and their language is familiar to Beijing.
Lao She was a member of cultural and education committee of the Government Administration Council and deputy to the National People’ s Congress, and served as vice-chairman of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, vice-chairman of the Chinese Writers’ Association and chairman of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles.
His wife remembers how each time Lao She completed a play; he asked the director and actors over to listen to his new work. Discussion followed, in which everyone was invited to express his or her views. Many wonderful nights were spent in this way until the beloved playwright was tormented by Red Guards in the“cultural revolution.”His body was found on the shore of Taiping Lake and his unfinished autobiographical novelette was still in his desk drawer in his home.
