Lao She(1899~1966) was the pen name of Shu Qingchun, also known as Sheyu, who was born into a poor family of Manchu nationality in Beijing.

老舍(1899 ~1966 )，原名舒庆春，字舍予，满族人。

He was familiar with the life of the underprivileged townsfolk. His experience exerted a deep and lasting¹ influence on his choice of literary themes.  He perceived the townspeople society of Beijing from the point of view of the city paupers², thus endowing his works with affinity³ to the people and humanitarian⁴ feelings.

他出生在北京城一个贫民家庭，熟悉下层市民的生活，能从城市贫民的视角来透视市民社会，因而作品具有人民性和人道主义情怀。

With modern rationality, Lao She always consciously dedicated⁵ himself to the criticism of traditional cultural dross⁶ and the reform of the inherent weakness of the nation.

老舍始终以现代理性自觉致力于对传统文化糟粕的批判和对国民劣根性的改造。

The Philosophy of Old Zhang,Thus Spoke⁷ Master Zhao and Mr.  Ma  and  Son made anatomy⁸ of the ingrained bad habits and pointed⁹ out the weakness in the national character and abuses of traditional culture.

《老张的析学》、《赵子曰》 ,《二马》等剖析国民的劣根性，揭示民族性格‘扫的弱点和传统文化的弊病;

A Tale of the Cat Country probed into the remolding of ancient national character and the resuscitation¹⁰ of national spirit.

《猫城记》探讨了古老民族性格的再塑和民族精神的复苏;

Divorce exposed the increasing corruption¹¹ and decadence¹² of national character under the negative influence of traditional culture.

《离婚》剖析了国民性格在传统文化负面影响下的日益蜕变衰微;

Camel Xiangzi showed how the deformed¹³ urban civilization corroded¹⁴ people's healthy spirit and criticized the benighted¹⁵ and fogyish rural culture.

《骆驼祥子》批判城市畸形文明病对健康人性的侵蚀，也批判了愚昧守旧的农村文化;

The saga¹⁶ novel Four Generations under One Roof depicted¹⁷ the perplexed¹⁸ and alarmed Chinese during the war to reflect on and denounce the traditional feudal¹⁹ culture.

长篇小说《四世同堂》描写了战争中中华儿女的惶惑与抗争，对整个封建传统文化进行了反省和批判。

With his encyclopedia--like comprehension of townspeople society, Lao She unfolded a panorama²⁰ of the ancient capital for modern Chinese literature.

凭着对市民社会百科全书般的生活知识，老舍为中国现代文学描绘了一幅包罗万象的北平市民社会全景图。

All sorts of people, human relations and customs were thoroughly²¹ revealed. His works overflowed²² with special Beijing flavor.

三教九流，世态风俗，展露无遗，使作品充溢着浓郁的北京味儿。

Lao She was fond of humor, and was skillful in appreciating comic overtones in the mediocre²³ and unambitious conflicts of human natures, making humor tender criticism, restrained while satirical, teasing without embarrassing. With concise²⁴ and simple Beijing dialect, Lao She narrated²⁵ the scenes full of local color and portrayed²⁶ all his characters with distinct individual personalities²⁷.

老舍的小说追求幽默，善于在庸常的人性矛盾中领略喜剧意味，使幽默成为含有温情的批判，婉而多讽，谑而不虐。

His language was plain without being vulgar, exquisite²⁸ without being ornate, permeated²⁹ with the mien³⁰ and flavor of Beijing culture.

他的语言创造性地运用了北京市民俗白浅易的口语，平易却不粗俗，精致而不雕琢，处处渗透着北京文化的神态气韵。

Lao She's development and creation of the language of modern vernacular³¹ literature earned him the reputation of “master of language".

老舍对现代白话文学语言的发展创造使他获得了“语言大师”的美誉。

Lao She supplied the headstream of “Beijing flavor novels" which were written in Beijing vernacular about Beijing people and their ways and customs.

老舍是“京味小说”的源头。

Lao She's works, together with the long literary pieces created by Mao Dun and Ba Jin, compose the three pinnacles³² in the art of modern full-length novel.

他的作品与茅盾、巴金的长篇创作一起，构成现代长篇小说艺术的三大高峰。