Why a fictional peasant’s self-deception became a defining symbol of 20th-century Chinese identity

Art · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Lu Xun’s 1921 novella, The True Story of Ah Q, introduced a character who transforms every humiliating defeat into a psychological triumph. This practice of spiritual victory became a lasting metaphor for the national character, forcing readers to confront their own tendencies toward complacency, self-deception, and the rationalization of failure.

First serialized between December 1921 and February 1922, Lu Xun’s novella follows Ah Q, a rural laborer with no education or steady work. The character is defined by his 'spiritual victories'—a mechanism where he mentally reframes losses, such as being beaten or robbed, as personal successes. When he is struck by a landlord, he convinces himself he is superior for having even a minor association with such a powerful figure. This self-delusion allows him to bully those weaker than himself while remaining fearful of those in authority.

The novella was a landmark of the May Fourth movement, utilizing Vernacular Chinese to critique the conservatism of the era. Lu Xun intended the work to serve as a mirror, hoping to provoke self-examination among his readers. He famously stated that his method was to make the reader feel that Ah Q was not just a character, but a portrait of themselves and the nation at large. By the time of the Xinhai Revolution, Ah Q’s inability to grasp reality leads him to be scapegoated and executed, a tragic end that underscores the futility of his psychological escapism.

The work’s impact on the Chinese language remains profound. Terms like 'Ah Q mentality' describe individuals who refuse to face reality, while the 'Zhao Family'—derived from the landlord character Mr. Zhao—has evolved into a contemporary meme for the ruling elite. While some critics like Mao Dun viewed Ah Q as a representative of the Chinese national character, others argued the work was an unequivocally satirical warning. Regardless of the interpretation, Ah Q persists as a negative criterion, a symbol of the backwardness and tragic self-deception that intellectuals of the 1920s sought to overcome in their pursuit of modernity.

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