In 1926, Young Companion Pictorial (Liang You, literally 'good friend') was established in Shanghai as the first colored variety magazine. During the 1920s and 30s, when printed news was rare and precious, Companion was already a pioneer in providing pictorial reports to the public. It quickly became the publication that chronicled and provoked Chinaˇs passion for decades to come. Throughout the epic of war and peace, readers could see and read from Companion the faces and thoughts of influential politicians such as Sun Zhongshan (Sun Yat-sen), Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek), Feng Yuxiang, Zhang Xueliang, Mao Zedong, Zhu De and Zhou Enlai. Influential thinkers and writers such as Lu Xun, Lao She, Yu Dafu and Lin Yutang all contributed their works to Companion. In addition, Companion published a series of autobiographies, written exclusively for its readers by the celebrities themselves. They inspired many Chinese not only with their successful stories but also their wisdom and attitudes towards life.