What was Qian Zhongshu's introduction to Fortress Besieged?

Qian Zhongshu's Fortress Besieged was a modern Chinese novel. It told the story of a person who was surrounded by a city, full of yearning and confusion about the outside world, and deep helplessness and despair about his own situation. The protagonist of the novel, Fang Hongjian, was a student at a boys 'school founded by the Westernization Faction at the end of the Qing Dynasty. His appearance was beautiful, but his heart was empty and lonely, longing for the outside world. He made a few good friends at school, but as time went on, their relationship gradually drifted apart. After graduation, Fang Hongjian was assigned to work in a state-owned enterprise, but he found that he was not suitable for this kind of work and lifestyle, so he decided to resign and study abroad. He had gone through a lot of twists and turns overseas and finally returned to China. However, he found that he could no longer adapt to life in the country and could only continue to be trapped in the siege. Through Fang Hongjian's experiences, the novel explored deep issues such as human nature, love, freedom, and responsibility. It also reflected some of the real problems of Chinese society at that time, including education, employment, culture, and politics. This novel is widely regarded as a classic of modern Chinese literature, which has a profound influence on later literature and philosophy.