Dream in Peony Pavilion

Tang Xianzu (1550—1616) is a famous Chinese dramatist and litterateur. He was born into a family of scholars in Linchuan County of Jiangxi Province, and grew into a man accomplished in poetry, prose, astronomy, geography, medicine and divination. As he was reluctant to fawn upon the rich and powerful persons and bold in exposing social problems, he finally chose to abandon his official position. He enjoys a great reputation for his dramas, among which Dream in Peony Pavilion, Legend of the Purple Hairpin, Dream under the Southern Bough, and Dream of Handan are called Four Dreams of Linchuan. With interesting plots and vivid characters to attack feudal ethics and expose social problems, the Four Dreams of Linchuan have been performed repeatedly in the past 400 years and adored by both Chinese and foreign audience. Dream in Peony Pavilion is his representative work.