Female Opera (Upper and Lower)

Author: Wang Xiping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-11-01
Features: The Female Actor consists of three volumes, written in the form of legendary literature, vividly depicting the historical journey of Chinese female actors from the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China who broke government prohibitions to perform on stage. Their development and rise to prominence on the theatrical scene contributed to another unprecedented flourishing of Chinese theater. The protagonist of this volume, Yang Cuixi, is one of the outstanding early female actors in the history of modern Chinese theater. She was both a courtesan and an artist, renowned for her exceptional singing and dancing skills and extraordinary beauty. Yuan Shikai presented her to the son of the first Minister of Commerce, Zai Zhen, the son of the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Household. This led to the "Yang Cuixi Case," which caused a stir in Korea. To rescue Yang Cuixi, her sisters courageously entered the capital to perform female theater. Although they were expelled from the capital by the Qing government, their actions marked the beginning of the struggle for equality and women's rights in China.