As to whether Sun Shaoping is a portrayal of Lu Yao himself, there may not be a definite answer. However, it is certain that Sun Shaoping's characters were created by Lu Yao on the basis of his own life experience and observation, and his life experience and spiritual journey all reflected Lu Yao's thinking and understanding of life.
As for why the love between Shao An and Xiulian ended in tragedy, this is mainly to highlight the characterization and theme expression. Their love story is an important part of the whole story. Ending with tragedy can deepen readers' understanding of the characters and themes, and at the same time, it can also arouse readers' thoughts and thoughts. Their love story symbolizes the helplessness of two kind and strong people under the secular pressure and fate. This helplessness is also a part of life, expressing the theme of impermanence and unpredictable fate.