Peach Blossom Fan

Author: Kong Shangren
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: This play, together with C-Western Chamber, M-Peach Blossom Pavilion, and M-Immortal Palace, is hailed as one of the "Four Great Classical Plays." They represent the highest achievement of ancient Chinese theatrical works and hold immense literary and artistic value. Published by the renowned Yue Lu Press, this book is part of the "Four Great Classical Plays" series. It is rigorously proofread against the, , , and , boasting exquisite packaging and a very low error rate, making it an excellent choice for theater enthusiasts to read and collect. If someone were to ask which are China's most outstanding ancient plays, we could confidently reply: C-Western Chamber, M-Peach Blossom Pavilion, M-Immortal Palace, and M-Peach Blossom Fan. M-Immortal Palace, set against the backdrop of dynastic rise and fall, portrays the love story of Yang Li, while its later counterpart, M-Peach Blossom Fan, is a historical drama that "uses the emotions of separation and reunion to depict the sentiments of rise and fall."
The author of M-Peach Blossom Fan, Kong Shangren, was born in 1648 in Qufu, Shandong, and was the sixty-fourth-generation descendant of Confucius. During his youth, he lived through the transition from the Ming to the Qing dynasty, a time of frequent warfare and turmoil. Witnessing the devastation of his homeland, he once considered withdrawing from official life. However, as the Qing regime gradually stabilized, he changed his mind. When Emperor Kangxi visited Qufu to pay homage to Confucius, Kong Shangren was selected as an imperial scholar and later appointed as a professor at the Imperial Academy in Beijing. Subsequently, he was sent to participate in flood control efforts, spending several years in the Jiangnan region. In Jiangnan, Kong Shangren gained insight into the people's hardships and befriended many Ming loyalists. He also lamented the remnants of his former dynasty, which further transformed his perspective. Having initially aspired for fame in the imperial court, he underwent profound self-reflection and emerged with M-Peach Blossom Fan, a work shaped by his experiences and deliberations.
Why did Kong Shangren compose M-Peach Blossom Fan? As he wrote in the preface to the play, his goal was to use the stage to "depict the rise and fall of three hundred years" and provoke reflection: "What person destroyed the foundation? What events led to its ruin? In what year did it vanish? Where did it cease to exist?" His intention was to "correct the flaws in human hearts and offer salvation for the twilight age." In other words, Kong Shangren sought to portray the decline of the Southern Ming and summarize historical lessons. However, as a member of the landlord class deeply influenced by Confucian feudal ideology, he could not fully or accurately analyze the reasons behind the Southern Ming's collapse. Furthermore, having received favor from the Qing dynasty and living in an era where ethnic issues were highly sensitive, he could not candidly expose the devastation wrought by Manchu cavalry on Jiangnan.
Based on his understanding, he believed the Southern Ming's downfall was primarily due to the reign of corrupt officials. "Corrupt officials are the remnants of the eunuchs of the late Ming," he wrote, "who indulged in luxury, accumulated wealth, formed factions to seek revenge, and destroyed three hundred years of imperial foundation." (See M-Peach Blossom Fan, Small Notes) Therefore, while the play touches on peasant uprisings, its stance is flawed; it also addresses ethnic struggles, but its tone is ambiguous. Kong Shangren directed his anger solely at figures like Ma Shiyang and Ruan Dachu, focusing the entire narrative on the conflicts between these corrupt officials, the literati of the Re Restoration Society, and the common people. However, it is worth noting that corrupt officials did indeed play a significant role in the Southern Ming's downfall.
Although Kong Shangren did not fully depict the historical reality or grasp the core societal contradictions, he exposed the sharp social issues of his time and presented thought-provoking historical lessons. The rise and fall of the Southern Ming, though brief, were complex. If he had merely listed historical events on stage, the play would have resembled fragmented court reports, leaving audiences indifferent. Instead, Kong Shangren wove the story of Li Xiangjun and Hou Fangyu into the fabric of broader social life, creating a historical tapestry of the Southern Ming era. As he himself put it, a single fan between Hou and Li became a symbol of the entire era: "The rise and fall of the Southern Dynasties thus rested on the peach blossom fan."
The play begins with Hou Fangyu, one of the leaders of the Re Restoration Society, indulging in poetry and wine in Nanjing and falling in love with the famous courtesan Li Xiangjun. However, lacking funds, he cannot fulfill his desires. Meanwhile, Ruan Dachu, also staying in Nanjing, is under siege by the Society's literati and in dire straits. To curry favor and improve his situation, he offers gold and silver to Yang Longyou, hoping to win over Hou Fangyu. Unaware of the implications, Hou Fangyu accepts the gifts and begins an affair with Li Xiangjun. Their love becomes intertwined with the factional struggles of the time.