Beijing's Literary Soul: A Visit to the Lao She Memorial
A heavy, late-autumn gray morning in Beijing set a quiet tone for a visit to the Lao She Memorial. The traditional siheyuan (courtyard house) offered immediate peace, a stark contrast to the city outside.
The serene central courtyard featured a statue of Lao She, and the preserved living quarters felt frozen in time. The simple living room, with a glass-topped table and a splash of life from a vase of flowers, evoked the writer's life (1899 - 1966).
Leaving the main house, we explored the surrounding, narrow hutongs. A burst of color came from persimmons hanging on a wall. The brick canyons showed signs of age and defense, but life still bloomed in the small alleyways with plants and striking doorways, like a red door against gray bricks. We were oriented by a sign marking "Feng Fu Hutong." The lanes twisted, leading us under an archway, with occasional intrusions from the modern world (a small car, a barber shop chair). A final glimpse of a Buddha statue through a crack in a tiny door provided a secret spiritual moment.
The cloudy morning at the Memorial and in the hutongs left a deep appreciation for Beijing's historical layers and its enduring literary spirit.
Gears & Settings | Figures |
Camera | Sony A6700 |
Lens | Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN |
Creative Style | ST (Standard) |
Date | 25 November 2023 |
Location | Beijing, China |
A large building#: 1 | SS: 1/2000s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm | A light that is on the side of a building#: 2 | SS: 1/500s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A sign on a building that says Lao She Memorial#: 3 | SS: 1/2500s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm | A window with a sign on it that says keep door closed#: 4 | SS: 1/320s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A statue of Lao She in the courtyard#: 5 | SS: 1/1600s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A table with a glass top in the living room#: 6 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 125 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm | The living room#: 7 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 400 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A living room with a couch and a chair#: 8 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A vase of flowers sitting on a table#: 9 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 250 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A window with a view of a building#: 10 | SS: 1/160s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A display of a stone with a picture of a Lao She (1899 - 1966)#: 11 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 125 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A book sitting on a table#: 12 | SS: 1/60s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A bunch of persimmons hanging on a wall#: 13 | SS: 1/640s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm | A person walking down a narrow alley#: 14 | SS: 1/2000s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A window with a wire mesh#: 15 | SS: 1/400s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A narrow alley with a few plants and a few pots#: 16 | SS: 1/1600s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A red door with a black handle#: 17 | SS: 1/1250s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A sign on a wall that says Feng Fu Hutong#: 18 | SS: 1/1250s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A red door is in a brick building#: 19 | SS: 1/400s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.4 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A red building with a sign on it#: 20 | SS: 1/800s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.6 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A narrow alley with a row of plants#: 21 | SS: 1/640s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.6 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm | A narrow alley with a brick archway#: 22 | SS: 1/800s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.6 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A small car parked in front of a store#: 23 | SS: 1/640s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.6 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A chair sitting outside of a barber shop#: 24 | SS: 1/500s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.6 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
A view of a buddha statue from door crack#: 25 | SS: 1/100s | ISO: 100 | F: 1.6 | +/-: 0.0 | FL35: 24mm |
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