The True Story of Ah Q is an episodic novella written by Lu Xun using third-person narration perspective, first published as a serial between December 4, 1921 and February 12, 1922.

During Lu Xun's lifetime, the work was translated into eight languages: Russian, English, French, Japanese, German, Czech, Korean, and Esperanto.

[4] Expanding upon Lu Xun's international reach, Peng Xiaoling and Han Aili's article, "Ah Q: 70 years", found in Paul B.

Foster's journal article, documents the novella's translation into over thirty languages, its adaptation into more than sixty reprints, dramatic renditions, a film, a ballet, and even its artistic expressions through cartoons and woodcuts.

[5] The True Story of Ah Q portrays how the Xinhai Revolution did not bring about genuine reform to the countryside, and through the artistic portrayal of the impoverished hired hand Ah Q from the rural areas, it reflects the flawed roots of human nature, such as cowardice, the "spiritual victory method", opportunism, megalomania, and excessive self-esteem.

[7] In chapter one, the author ironically claims that he could not recall nor verify Ah Q's correct name, thus giving the character symbolic anonymity.

The deliberate use of a Latin letter has been analysed by some critics as a reference to the May Fourth movement, which advocated adoption of Western ideas.

[8] Mao Dun believed that Ah Q represented a "crystallization of Chinese qualities" of his time and that it was not necessarily a satirical work.

[9] Zhou Zuoren, the author's brother, in the article "[On] The True Story of Ah Q" (阿Q正传; "Ā Q Zhèngzhuàn") said that the work was, as paraphrased by Paul B.

The chapter also gives the readers more in-depth imagery on Ah Q's (unfortunate) physical appearance—specifically, the ringworm scar on his scalp that turns red when he is angry.

He usually physically or verbally retaliates against the weak, but resorts to denial or self-belittlement against those better than him, and achieves some small emotional satisfaction through his actions.

Even before his death, he still preserves his self-absorbed and petty personality; he tries to make his execution more impressive by reciting verses from some Chinese operas, but fails to find the right words.

Gloria Davies posits that Ah Q became a symbol for the backwardness perceived in Chinese society, providing a benchmark for the 1920s intellectuals to gauge the country's modernization.

In his correspondence, Lu Xun reveals his intent for Ah Q to serve as a mirror for the reader and society, dissolving the distance between character and self, and facilitating introspection.

[10] Mao Dun's comparison of Ah Q to Oblomov highlights the character's role as a cultural exemplar, reflecting the zeitgeist of his nation.

This name choice by Lu Xun not only anchors Ah Q in the specific historical milieu of the Qing dynasty and the Xinhai Revolution but also connects him to the broader themes of tradition versus modernity, central to the May Fourth Movement.

Japanese scholar Matsuoaka Toshihiro's inquiry into the significance of the letter "Q" and Zhou Zuoren's explanation of its representation of the Qing dynasty pigtail further illuminate the depth of Ah Q's symbolic stature.

[8] Ah Q is intricately portrayed as an everyman, his character a canvas reflecting the psychological state and social dynamics of a China transitioning from feudalism to a new socio-political order.

His 'spiritual victories' serve as a coping mechanism for personal and societal failures, an embodiment of the self-deception and rationalization that Lu Xun saw as a hindrance to progress.

Romain Rolland's recognition of Ah Q's character extends its significance beyond satire, identifying it as a universal human trait across cultural boundaries.

Ah Q's self-absorption, a dominant trait, manifests in his disregard for others' perceptions and societal norms, evident in his interactions with figures like Amah Wu.

Ah Q's struggles and denials reflect the tension between the allure of modernity and the comfort of the familiar, encapsulating the societal transformations of the time.

[12] After the publication of The True Story of Ah Q, the "Chinese themselves used the term to label those who are complacently ignorant, indolent, unhygienic, backward, slavish, and parochial".

This symbolism of hair and pigtails in the novel is a reflection of the deeper social and cultural dynamics at play during a period of intense ideological change in China, where the clash of traditional values and the pressure to modernize were palpable.

Through these symbols, Lu Xun critiques the societal transformations and the impact of Western ideologies on Chinese national identity during the early 20th century.

It describes a narcissistic individual who rationalizes every single actual failure he faces as a psychological triumph ("spiritual victory").

A phrase meaning "relax for a bit" or "take it easy" (阿Q一下; Ā Q yí xià) has also surfaced, further showing how Ah Q's traits of evasion of reality and self-consolation have permeated contemporary language.

"[14] Davies further explained that "[i]t is perhaps also not too far-fetched to suggest that the Marxist dogmatists perceived in The True Story of Ah Q a realism with sufficient power to undermine even their own adamant and much-vaunted belief in the imminent arrival of a Communist utopia; for not even the most foolhardy dogmatist could ignore the countless acts of political violence and betrayal taking place around him, borne variously of the ruthlessness, ambition, cynicism, fear and ignorance, in all, the darker side of the human condition that Lu Xun had portrayed so vividly in The True Story of Ah Q.

[16] A leftist critic, Qian Xingcun, wrote an essay "The Dead Era Of Ah Q" (死去了的阿Q时代; Sǐqùle de Ā Q Shídài), published in the March 1, 1928 issue of Sun Monthly [zh][16] (太阳月刊; Tàiyáng Yuèkān, No.

[17] Furthermore, Davies argues that "it was all the more important to recognize Lu Xun's works as bearing no relevance to the contemporary situation because they were capable of influencing the reader into misrecognizing social reality.