Family (Ba Jin novel)
1933 autobiographical novel by Chinese author Ba Jin
Family (家, pinyin: Jiā, Wade-Giles: Chia1), sometimes translated as The Family, is a semi-autobiographical novel by Chinese author Ba Jin, the pen-name of Li Feigan (1904–2005). His most famous novel, it chronicles inter-generational conflict between old ways and progressive aspirations in an upper-class family in the city of Chengdu, a prosperous but provincial city in the fertile Sichuan basin in the early 1920s following the New Culture Movement. The novel was wildly popular among China's youth and established the author as a leading voice of his generation.
The novel was first serialized in 1931-2 and then released in a single volume in 1933. The original title was Turbulent Stream (激流 Jīliú), but changed after Ba Jin released it as a single volume.
Synopsis
The novel focuses on three brothers from the Gao family, Juexin, Juemin and Juehui, and their struggles with the oppressive autocracy of their fengjian and patriarchal family. The idealistic, if rash Juehui, the youngest brother, is the main protagonist, and he is frequently contrasted with the weak eldest brother Juexin, who gives in to the demands from his grandfather, agrees to an arranged marriage and carries on living a life he does not like to live.
Characters
Gao Juexin (traditional Chinese: 高覺新; simplified Chinese: 高觉新; pinyin: Gāo Juéxīn; Wade–Giles: Kao1 Chüeh2-hsin1) - The eldest brother, who was forced into quitting his university studies and into marrying a woman other than the one he loved.
Juexin obeys the Gao family, despite the disapproval from his two brothers. Even though Juexin is in love with Mei, his cousin, he marries Li Ruijue on the orders of Master Gao after he graduates from middle school.
The public source identifies “Family (Ba Jin novel)” as 1933 autobiographical novel by Chinese author Ba Jin. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Family, novel and autobiographical.
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The entry’s evidential value lies in the named roles, institutions and publications that can be tested against primary documentation. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 16, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q4215790. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1904, 2005, 1931 and 1933.
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