Life is the first piece of Lu Yao’s writing translated into English. Originally published in 1982, the novel tells the story of Gao Jialin, a motivated young man from a small town who loses his teaching job due to corrupt local politics. The novella chronicles Gao Jialin’s struggle against traditional and class norms to feel professionally and personally fulfilled. A former housemate from China recommended I check out Lu Yao’s writing, and Life was a great place to start. Although the characters and problems seem somewhat generic, the novella gives readers a great snapshot of the literature being produced in China after the Cultural Revolution.