Abstract: Lu Xun’s short story “Upstairs in the Tavern” brings to a new phase the problematic of soul in the modern man, which is first addressed in his “New Year Sacrifice”. Through the reunion between the narrator “I” and his old friend Lü Weifu in the tavern, the problematic of soul in modern intellectuals resurfaces. Lü, a modern rationalist, was exposed to two events of death, which shook the ground of his materialistic view of life, making him feel sinking and bored as love and hopes were shattered. This is also the fundamental theme of Lu Xun’s works during the period when his anthology Wandering was completed.

Key words: “Upstairs in the Tavern”, boredom, nihilism, theme of death, theme of hope