The narrator believes that the action which bothers him is an evolutionary holdover, relating the story of Yi Ya and Jie Zhou.
At one point in this work, the title character speculates that a neighbor bears him a grudge for having trampled the books of Mr. Antiquity 20 years ago. This story, which ends with the elliptical sentence "Save the children..." was first published in a periodical called New Youth, and its nameless narrator carries on a feud with a local dog, which is described as "savage as a lion, timid as a rabbit, crafty as a fox." To demonstrate the capricious nature of village politics, the narrator recollects his instruction at the hands of his Elder Brother, who brings Dr. He to examine the narrator. The narrator believes that the action which bothers him is an evolutionary holdover, relating the story of Yi Ya and Jie Zhou. After reading a history book which has no dates but only the word "BENEVOLENCE," "RIGHTEOUSNESS," and "MORALITY," written in it, the title character discovers that the message between the lines is the command "EAT PEOPLE!" after which he comes to believe that everyone in his village is a cannibal. For ten points, identify this story about the titular lunatic, written by Lu Xun.
At one point in this work, the title character speculates that a neighbor bears him a grudge for having trampled the books of Mr. Antiquity 20 years ago.
{Diary} of a {Madman} or A {Madman's Diary} or {Kuangren Riji}