From the time of the May 4th Movement until the emergence of the patriotic literature which blossomed during the War Against Japan, modern Chinese literature has been rightfully termed a literature of social protest. The political and cultural events which preceded the May 4th Movement injected a wrath and indignation into the people which did not begin to find an adequate means of release until the advent of the new literature written in the vernacular. Once warmed up to the art of washing their social frustrations in public, Chinese authors of the 1920s and 1930s found themselves exploring all the depths of the murky waters of their society. They found hunger, disease, injustice, prejudice, corruption and contempt. They were certain that great changes had to take place if China were to avoid being completely torn apart. The short stories in this anthology are examples of their responses to this social environment.