"An Old and Established Name" (1936)

“An Old and Established Name” by Lao She depicts the striking contrast between an old, traditional society and a new, modern society during a constantly changing and competitive time. The story follows Xin Dezhi, a senior apprentice of operations in the Fortune Silk Store, as he witnesses the change from the honest Manager Qian, to the hustler Manager Zhou, and back to Manager Qian, and concludes with the final fate of the Fortune Silk Store.

Told from the perspective of a side character, the focus is not on the change in personnel of the business, but rather the audience is drawn into the business and its transformations through the protagonist’s earnest response on the subject matter. Lao She clearly illustrates the value of a person experiencing continuous emotional waves and survival difficulties.

Without a doubt, the thoughts and emotions of Xin Dezhi makes the story most intriguing. Throughout the whole ordeal, he never once abandons his ideals of maintaining and valuing the traditional culture, morals, and doctrines. Although he cannot refute the fact that Manager Zhou’s management can prosper the business, he cannot bring himself to fully admire and accept such new ways of doing things. He observes that in order to make money, one has to be a “combination magician and burlesque comedian.”

When Manager Qian returns and the store is back to the way that it was in the past, Xin Dezhi readily welcomes the reversion because he truly loves the good times that the store once had. Even as reality and fate finally arrives at the Fortune Silk Store & it can no longer escape their hands, Xin Dezhi comforts Manager Qian with tears in his eyes to not to worry.

As sorrowful as it is to witness the gradual dismiss of his beloved old values all the while knowing deep in his heart that the past cannot be recovered, Xin Dezhi held on as long as he could to the shattered bits and pieces until the new inevitably took over.