Tang Xianzu: 1550-1616 - Dramatist, author of The Peony Pavilion

Abstract

Tang Xianzu was the foremost Chinese dramatist of the Ming dynasty. His four main works are all based on dreams, and his masterpiece, The Peony Pavilion, was a tender love story with a happy ending. An actress was reportedly once so moved by her part as Du Liniang in The Peony Pavilion that she died on stage. Tang's main contribution to dramatic theory is his emphasis on love or emotions, as opposed to reason. Although he himself held several official positions, he was an outspoken critic of power holders and may have retired from public life because of this, focusing instead on his writing.