Abstract: The novels of Lin Yutang are characterized by their trace narration. In other words, he always sets his figures on their way of journey, and builds their characters in their travels or with the change of space. Lin brings trace narration, the merit of the western novels, into his literary creation, and combines it with Chinese special trace narration to form his own style. His novels not only present the figures in the growing, maturing, and dynamic process, but also have “leisure” to describe human relationships and worldly wit, and to introduce customs of different places. In this way, Lin harmonizes the dynamic with the static, and brings out the best of both. However, there are also some problems and disadvantage in this kind of trace narration.

Key words: trace narration, the theme of searching, bohemian, space