China’s most famous proletarian novel was written by Lao She (pseudonym of Shu Ch’ing-ch’un; 1899–1966), a Manchu and Peking local-colorist who became one of the greatest Chinese novelists of the century . Lo-t’o Hsiang-tzu (Camel Hsiang-tzu, or Rickshaw Boy; 1937), one of his many novels rich in humorous banter in the Peking dialect, relates a burly orphan peasant boy’s uphill struggle for a dignified livelihood as an independent rickshaw puller in that ancient city. Entranced by the colorful sights, sounds, and smells of Peking, Hsiang-tzu cannot imagine returning to the drab routine of farming in the countryside. Unfortunately, he cannot anticipate the many dangers that city life holds in store for him.