Abstract: Shen Congwen and Faulkner, calling themselves “ country folk”, were well-known literati in the 20th century. This article makes a comparison between the two based on “ water” and “tree” which symbolize the country life presented respectively in their literal creation and then argues that the similarities in their works result from their down-to-earth spirit and conservative ideals.

Key words: Shen Congwen, Faulkner, country folk