From a timeline perspective, "The Hobbit" took place 60 years before "The Lord of the Rings". It tells the story of Bilbo Baggins, instigated by Gandalf, joining the dwarf team to go to the Lonely Mountain. He helped the dwarves regain the treasure occupied by the evil dragon Smaug, but on the way he accidentally fell into the cave where Gollum was hiding, and then discovered the Supreme Lord of the Rings, and secretly took it as his own and brought it back to Hobbiton.
These plots are obviously directly related to the opening of "The Lord of the Rings" (the ending of "The Battle of the Five Armies" perfectly connects with Gandalf's visit at the opening of "The Lord of the Rings"). If you don't understand these plots;
You will have doubts about the inextricable relationship between Gollum and the Baggins family, the mysterious role of the Lord of the Rings, and the general power structure of Middle-earth in the third era. This was also the time when filming "The Lord of the Rings" At that time, why did PJ give a highly concise summary of the content of "The Hobbit" before the story officially started, as an introduction and explanation of some plots of "The Lord of the Rings".
Extended information:
The Hobbit mainly tells the story of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins and the thirteen dwarves who regained the dwarf homeland. The story takes place 60 years before the opening of "The Lord of the Rings" Year, 78 years before the main plot.
The Hobbit "Bilbo Baggins" is mainly an introduction character. He gave the Lord of the Rings to Frodo and then Frodo's adventure in Middle-earth began. He wrote about his own adventures sixty years ago. In other words, he is the lead of the entire story.
"The Hobbit" "justifies" Bilbo Baggins - although the end of his journey is not the Middle-earth world where Sauron gradually regains his powers, the underground kingdom occupied by the dragon is obviously It is also full of mystery and danger. If the "Lord of the Rings" series is about how Frodo, the dwarf in the Shire, grew from an ordinary man to a hero, then "The Hobbit" is about Bilbo Baggins. The process of overcoming inner difficulties and growing up.
Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-Bilbo Baggins