Snowy Night

"Snowy Night" by Zhang Henshui is a realistic novel depicting the decline of a wealthy family in Peking during the Republic of China. The once-prominent Mansion of Governor Deng was now in a desperate situation, with no food and electricity in the cold winter, and creditors coming to visit. The five sons have their own concerns, but none of them can restore the family's decline: the eldest son Yushan went crazy trying to make a living, the second son Yulong drank poison and committed suicide due to the pressure, the third son Yufeng had ambitions but was powerless, the fourth son Yulin was cowardly and incompetent and almost committed suicide, and only the fifth son Yubo tried to find a job in the tram company, but was opposed by his family because of the word "respectable". The windy and snowy night became the catalyst for the collapse of the family. Quarrel between sisters-in-law, antagonism between brothers, separation between husband and wife - under the pressure of hunger and cold, the truest side of human nature is exposed. When Yulong's body was hastily buried in the wilderness, this once-famous family finally completely collapsed in the torrent of time. This work is not only a lament for the decline of the family, but also a profound criticism of the old literati concept of "respectability". On the balance between survival and dignity, Zhang Henshui used cold writing to describe the difficulties and struggles of intellectuals in troubled times.