# Zhao Shuli

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Chinese writer (1906–1970)

In this [Chinese name](/source/Chinese_name), the [family name](/source/Chinese_surname) is *[Zhao](/source/Zhao_(surname))*.

Zhao Shuli Born 24 September 1906 Qinshui, Shanxi, Qing dynasty Died 23 September 1970(1970-09-23) (aged 63) Taiyuan, Shanxi, China Language Chinese Notable works The Marriage of Young Blacky The Rhymes of Li Youcai Spouse Ma Shuying(1922-1927) Guan Lianzhong(1931-1970) Children The eldest son: Zhao Dahu The eldest daughter: Zhao Guangjian The second son: Zhao Erhu The third son: Zhao Sanhu

**Zhao Shuli** ([simplified Chinese](/source/Simplified_Chinese_characters): 赵树理; [traditional Chinese](/source/Traditional_Chinese_characters): 趙樹理; [pinyin](/source/Pinyin): *Zhào Shùlǐ*; [Wade–Giles](/source/Wade%E2%80%93Giles): ****Chao Shu-li****; 24 September 1906 – 23 September 1970) was a [novelist](/source/Novelist) and a leading figure of modern [Chinese literature](/source/Chinese_literature).[1][2] He died in 1970, following persecutions during the [Cultural Revolution](/source/Cultural_Revolution).

## Biography

### Background

Zhao was born in 1906 in [Qinshui County](/source/Qinshui_County), [Shanxi](/source/Shanxi) Province.[2] He was originally called 趙樹禮, which, in [Mandarin Chinese](/source/Mandarin_Chinese), was a [homophone](/source/Homophone) of the name he later adopted in his adult career.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Zhao's family was declining gentry, and owned land on which his father worked.[3]: 153 Zhao's family members were adherents of late-imperial era sectarian religions, including the Three Sages Sect and the Pure Tea Sect.[3]: 153

### Early life and career

Zhao read widely at a young age, including the Confucian classics, divination books, and Three Sages Sect scriptures.[3]: 153 Growing up, he was a talented musician in the village opera band.[3]: 154 At age 19 in the Changzhi Provincial Normal School, he learned about [May Fourth](/source/May_Fourth_Movement) literature and began reading even more broadly, including Ming-Qing vernacular fiction, [Lu Xun](/source/Lu_Xun), [Henrik Ibsen](/source/Henrik_Ibsen), and [Ivan Turgenev](/source/Ivan_Turgenev).[3]: 154

Zhao experimented with writing in the May Fourth style of "new fiction," but found village audiences preferred more traditional forms.[3]: 154 This prompted him to advocate political and social change through writing in traditional literary forms.[3]: 154

At age 21, he developed his opposition to practices deemed superstitious and abandoned his former vegetarianism (which was a tenet of the Three Sages Sect).[3]: 154

He attended a teachers college and went on to teach in primary schools.[1]

In 1937, Zhao joined the Communist-led Sacrifice League and in 1939 became a Communist cultural worker.[3]: 154

### Prominent writings

Zhao's major fictional works include 小二黑結婚 *Xiao Erhei jiehun*, "The Marriage of Young Blacky";[4] 李有才板話 *Li Youcai banhua*, "The Rhymes of Li Youcai"; 李家莊的變遷 *Li jiazhuang de bianqian*, "Change Comes to Li Family Village"; and 三里灣 *Sanliwan*, "Sanliwan Village". The action of Zhao's novels typically takes place in the countryside of [Northern China](/source/North_China_and_South_China). In this setting, Zhao explores the dilemmas and conflicts of villagers who are facing growing social upheaval. Zhao was renowned for achieving nuanced portrayals of the diverse cast of human characters which were to be found in provincial life. Zhao became known as a leader of the [Shanyaotan (White Potato) School](/source/Shanyaotan_School) (山藥蛋派), one of the most influential literary movements in mid-20th century China.[1]

Zhao first became a prominent literary figure as a result of his 1943 short story, "The Marriage of Young Blacky."[3]: 148 The story's protagonist (Young Blacky) and Xiaoqin pursue the style of free choice marriage promoted by the Communists.[3]: 148 In doing so, they overcome abuses of authority by some village cadres and the authority of their parents.[3]: 148 Zhao used colloquial peasant language, traditional storytelling techniques, and dramatic narratives in the text.[3]: 148 "The Marriage of Young Blacky" was initially not used by the Communist Party press, and was published after [Peng Dehuai](/source/Peng_Dehuai) praised it, noting, "It is rare to see such an easy-to-understand story that comes from the masses.[3]: 151 Upon publication, it became an instant hit among the rural population in the Mount Taihang region.[3]: 151 The story became influential and resulted in other adaptations, including in theatre and cinema.[3]: 148–149

### Politics

In 1946, the [Chinese Communist Party](/source/Chinese_Communist_Party) praised Zhao as a model of peasant writers.[3]: 142 His works were promoted as an ideal combination of political education with popular entertainment, and the Communist Party distributed them to local cadres and urged Communist writers and artists to follow the "Zhao Shuli direction".[3]: 152

Zhao was a member of the executive committee of the [Chinese Writers Association](/source/China_Writers_Association) and also served as the director of the Society of Chinese Authors, the president of the Society of Chinese Poets, and an editor of the journals 曲藝 *[Quyi](/source/Quyi)* (Performing Arts) and 人民文學 *Renmin Wenxue* (People's Literature). He was also appointed a delegate to the [8th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party](/source/8th_National_Congress_of_the_Chinese_Communist_Party), and a deputy in the [first](/source/1st_National_People's_Congress), [second](/source/2nd_National_People's_Congress), and [third](/source/3rd_National_People's_Congress) sessions of the [National People's Congress](/source/National_People's_Congress).[5]

Zhao's works passed in and out of political favor at various times.[3]: 152 Among the criticisms of his works was that they depicted peasant characters who were "in-the-middle" rather than heroes.[3]: 152

During the [Cultural Revolution](/source/Cultural_Revolution), Zhao was persecuted[5] and tortured.[3]: 152 He died on 23 September 1970.[3]: 152

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_1-2) ["Zhao Shuli | Socialist Realism, Chinese Literature & Revolution | Britannica"](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Zhao-Shuli). *www.britannica.com*. Retrieved 2024-01-04.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_2-1) Hong, Zicheng (2007). [*A History of Contemporary Chinese Literature*](https://books.google.com/books?id=S7C9xtFKGWEC). BRILL. pp. 108–115. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-90-04-15754-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-04-15754-5).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:03_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:03_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:03_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:03_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:03_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:03_3-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-:03_3-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-:03_3-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-:03_3-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-:03_3-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-:03_3-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-:03_3-11) [***m***](#cite_ref-:03_3-12) [***n***](#cite_ref-:03_3-13) [***o***](#cite_ref-:03_3-14) [***p***](#cite_ref-:03_3-15) [***q***](#cite_ref-:03_3-16) [***r***](#cite_ref-:03_3-17) [***s***](#cite_ref-:03_3-18) [***t***](#cite_ref-:03_3-19) [***u***](#cite_ref-:03_3-20) [***v***](#cite_ref-:03_3-21) Kang, Xiaofei (2023). *Enchanted Revolution: Ghosts, Shamans, and Gender Politics in Chinese Communist Propaganda, 1942-1953*. New York (N.Y.): [Oxford University Press](/source/Oxford_University_Press). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-19-765447-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-765447-7).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Wang, Xiaoping (2019-05-15). [*Contending for the "Chinese Modern": The Writing of Fiction in the Great Transformative Epoch of Modern China, 1937-1949*](https://brill.com/view/title/54206). BRILL. p. 475. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1163/9789004398634_010](https://doi.org/10.1163%2F9789004398634_010). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-90-04-39863-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-04-39863-4). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [243347197](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:243347197).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-li_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-li_5-1) Maosheng, Li (2015). *General History of Shanxi Characters (Contemporary)*. [Fangzhi Publishing House](/source/Fangzhi_Publishing_House). pp. 292–295. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-7-5144-1796-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-7-5144-1796-8).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Zhao Shuli](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhao_Shuli) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhao_Shuli?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.