Redefining Conrad Through a Comparative Lens: Tracing Literary Influences in Lao She's Southeast Asia.

The article examines the literary dialogue between Lao She, a prominent modern Chinese writer, and Joseph Conrad, focusing on how Lao She engaged with Conrad’s stylistic and thematic elements, particularly in his novel *Little Po’s Birthday*. Lao She’s time in London exposed him to Western literary traditions, influencing his narrative techniques and prompting a nuanced reinterpretation of Conrad’s portrayal of Southeast Asia and imperialism. By adopting a child’s perspective in *Little Po’s Birthday*, Lao She critiques racial segregation and colonial ideologies, blending Eastern and Western literary practices to explore identity, nationality, and cultural hybridity. The article also situates Conrad’s Southeast Asian works within colonial and postcolonial contexts, highlighting both his subtle critique of imperialism and the complex reception of his fiction among Southeast Asian and East Asian writers and translators. Ultimately, Lao She’s adaptation of Conrad’s themes exemplifies the dynamic process of world literature, where texts are recontextualized across cultures to generate new meanings and challenge binary oppositions such as East/West and colonizer/colonized.